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Former Two-Time Pennsylvania State Wrestling Champion Arrested on Weapons and Drug Charges

Sammy Sasso has been removed as an assistant with the Lehigh University wrestling team
Gary Adornato|
Sammy Sasso, once a victim of gun violence, has been removed from the Lehigh wrestling staff after being arrested during a traffic stop for having weapons and THC in his vehicle.
Sammy Sasso, once a victim of gun violence, has been removed from the Lehigh wrestling staff after being arrested during a traffic stop for having weapons and THC in his vehicle. | Doral Chenoweth/Columbus DIspatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Sammy Sasso, one of the most decorated high school wrestlers to come out of Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, is no longer employed by Lehigh University, just months after being hired as an assistant wrestling coach, WFMZ 69 News is reporting.

Lehigh Severed Ties With Sasso Shortly After His Arrest

According to a statement from the university shared with 69 News, Sasso is “no longer employed by the University,” though no official reason was given for his departure.

Sasso’s exit comes shortly after he was arrested earlier this month, when police found four loaded firearms and THC in his vehicle during a traffic stop. Authorities said the car he was driving had expired Ohio registration, which led to the stop.

On the Mat Sasso Was a Two-Time Pennsylvania State Champion and A College All-American at Ohio State

Sasso, a two-time Pennsylvania state champion at Nazareth Area High School, went on to a standout career at Ohio State University, where he was a multiple-time All-American. His journey was interrupted in 2023 when he was seriously injured during a robbery and shooting in Columbus, Ohio.

Lehigh Was Sasso's Path Back Into Wrestling

Despite that setback, Sasso was on the path back into the sport, transitioning to coaching. Lehigh University hired him in June to join its storied wrestling program as an assistant coach.

The recent arrest, however, has cast a shadow over that next chapter. Lehigh has not provided further comment on the situation or Sasso’s future.

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Gary Adornato
GARY ADORNATO

Gary Adornato is the Senior VP of Content for High School On SI and SBLive Sports. He began covering high school sports with the Baltimore Sun in 1982, while still a mass communications major at Towson University. In 2003 became one of the first journalists to cover high school sports online while operating MIAASports.com, the official website of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Later, Adornato pioneered market-wide coverage of high school sports with DigitalSports.com, introducing video highlights and player interviews while assembling an award-winning editorial staff. In 2010, he launched VarsitySportsNetwork.com which became the premier source of high school media coverage in the state of Maryland. In 2022, he sold VSN to The Baltimore Banner and joined SBLive Sports as the company's East Coast Managing Editor.

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