Submitted photo Andrew 'Goo' Alexander recently committed to Bloomsburg’s wrestling team.

Andrew “Goo” Alexander has been wrestling under the lights of Mifflin County High School long enough to know that nothing worth earning ever comes easy. The junior standout, who compiled a 62-22 career record with 21 pins through two seasons, made it official this month: he’s headed to Bloomsburg University to wrestle at the Division I level.

For Alexander, the decision wasn’t about prestige or flash. It was about fit.

“Bloomsburg was the right fit for me because it has a great community,” Alexander said. “Coach Stutzman runs a great room, and I really like the way he runs his practices. The people there treated me like family; from the time I was on campus till the time I left.”

That phrase — family — comes up a lot with Alexander. He’s a product of one of the toughest wrestling environments in the state, and he knows exactly where the foundation was laid.

“Growing up in one of the hardest programs to compete at definitely has benefited me in the long run,” he said. “Mifflin County’s program has shaped me to be a respectful and responsible young man off the mat, and my teammates and coaches have taught me to have some integrity on the mat and be highly technical through each position.”

For anyone who’s followed the Huskies’ wrestling lineage, Alexander’s rise fits a familiar pattern: tough rooms, long hours, and a steady diet of expectation. The Mifflin County wrestling room has never been for the faint of heart. It’s a proving ground where success is earned by inches, not given by reputation.

By the time Alexander cracked the varsity lineup, he was already a technician in the making. As a freshman in 2024, he went 31-16, finishing third at districts and regionals and qualifying for states. That would’ve been enough to satisfy most underclassmen. But “Goo” wasn’t built for most.

His sophomore campaign was even sharper — 31-6, a District 6 champion, runner-up at regionals, and a two-time state qualifier. It was a breakout year that cemented him as one of Mifflin County’s next greats in a program long known for producing them.

The strength of that tradition isn’t only in medals or banners. It’s in attitude, the kind that turns teenagers into wrestlers and wrestlers into young men. Alexander embodies that lineage. He’s respectful, work-driven, and quietly confident, with the competitiveness that doesn’t need to be announced.

When Bloomsburg head coach Scott Stutzman extended the offer, Alexander didn’t hesitate long. Division I wrestling is a grind — the training, the academics, the travel, the weight cuts — but it’s a grind he’s been preparing for since he first laced up a pair of headgear.

“I’m excited to see if I can take it to the next level and compete with these guys in a Division I wrestling program,” Alexander said. “I’m excited to run all those hills around campus. I expect to run into some challenges like balancing wrestling and schoolwork.”

That practical honesty says a lot about Alexander. He’s not the type to talk about goals in vague clichés. His ambitions are specific: earn a spot, win matches, and grow as both an athlete and a student.

“My athletic goals consist of being in the starting lineup, going to big tournaments and winning big in them,” he said. “My academic goals consist of mastering how to run a business and developing good study habits.”

The business side isn’t just talk, either. He’s already planning for life beyond the mat, approaching his studies with the same precision he brings to a takedown.

And about that nickname, Goo. It’s been around longer than most of his wrestling career.

“My nickname has a long story behind it,” Alexander explained. “My older brother couldn’t say my name when we were really little, so he went around saying ‘Andgoo,’ and it has stuck with me since then. This nickname has become my name for people, and it shows it has traveled with me all the way through my first couple of practices, and it is still relevant today.”

That name–playful, distinctive, and easy to remember–has become a part of his identity in the wrestling community. It’s not unusual to hear a chant of “Goo!” rise from the Mifflin County crowd when he steps on the mat. It’s a reminder of where he came from and the people who helped shape him.

If there’s one thing that defines Alexander, it’s consistency. Every year, he’s improved, refined, and added to his toolbox. He’s technical on his feet, patient in scrambles, and increasingly dangerous from top position. More importantly, he wrestles with composure beyond his years.

Those who’ve watched Mifflin County wrestling long enough recognize the pattern; the grind pays off. For every hard practice, there’s a reward. For every setback, a lesson. That’s the blueprint Alexander carries with him to Bloomsburg.

He’s realistic enough to know college wrestling is another world, but confident enough to believe he belongs there. And that’s what makes this story so fitting: a local kid molded by a tough program, moving on to a higher level, still carrying the same humility that started it all. He doesn’t need to boast. His record, his work ethic, and his character do the talking.

As he prepares for the next chapter, there’s a sense that Mifflin County isn’t losing “Goo” so much as watching one of its own step forward. The lessons learned in that small-town wrestling room — integrity, respect, and the will to work–will travel with him to Bloomsburg just like that nickname from his childhood.

It’s the same story — only with a bigger mat.

In the meantime, local wrestling fans have two more years to chant for ‘Goo’ and enjoy his mat exploits.