Tucson doesn’t have a royal family, but the Vega family might be the closest thing when it comes to wrestling.
With numerous state titles under patriarch Danny Vega, Sr., the Vegas have already cemented their legacy in Tucson wrestling history.
Now, the crown prince of this multi-generational family of wrestlers is looking to leave his mark on Tucson and beyond.
Sergio Vega, the son of Danny Vega, Sr. and brother of Danny Vega, Jr., is carrying on the family legacy at Sunnyside High School, where his father once wrestled and became a three-time state champion.
The Sunnyside senior is currently ranked No. 1 in the 138-pound weight class in the U.S. He’s also ranked No. 9 in the pound-for-pound class in the U.S., according to the latest high school rankings.
“It was always a dream. So, now it's cool that I'm actually doing it and I'm seeing all my hard work pay off,” Vega says of his latest ranking.
Over the last three years, Vega has only recorded one loss while wrestling for Sunnyside.
Vega is a top competitor with a relentless determination to come home with the win, whether on a local or national stage. So far, that determination has paid off.
Sergio Vega, right, spars with Adyn Bostick during wresting practice on Oct. 3. Vega has committed to wrestle for Cornell starting with the 2025-26 season.
Just this past summer, he became a champion at USA Wrestling's Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, where he defeated Drew Gorman (No. 3 in the 138-pound weight class), 10-2, in the Junior Boys Freestyle Individual.
That win gave him a golden ticket to FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One tournament on Sept. 29 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The folkstyle event became a rematch between Vega and Gorman, who Vega previously defeated in Fargo.
History repeated itself as Vega dominated Gorman and again ended up victorious, this time with a 12-5 win.
“It was fun getting to be a part of Who's Number One and everything and meeting new people and just enjoying the environment there,” he said. “I’ve just been wrestling and doing pretty good and having fun.”
Aside from these major wins, Vega has placed third at the U20 World Team Trials, won titles at the National High School Coaches Association’s High School Nationals and Reno Tournament of Champions, and made it to the Super 32 Challenge finals, according to FloWrestling’s website. He also has three state championship titles and is going for a fourth this season.
Sunnyside wrestling coach Anthony Leon compares Vega as a wrestler to a “high-level surgeon,” he says.
“He is exact and calculated and well-educated and really well-prepared,” Leon said.
On top of dominating the mat, Vega is a superb student, too. He currently has a 3.86 GPA and participates in Sunnyside’s Student Athlete Leadership Team.
After he graduates next year, Vega is going east to Ithaca, New York to study and wrestle at Cornell University.
He officially committed to the Ivy League school last December after an official visit. He calls committing to Cornell “an easy decision.”
Vega can still remember what it felt like to share the commitment news with his family and coaches.
“We were eating and I was really nervous to tell them that I wanted to commit and stuff,” he said. “I was really nervous. I remember my hands were sweaty and then once I told them, I just got the chills. But it was really nice being able to know that even though when I was younger, I didn't really succeed in wrestling, or even until I got to high school, I never really succeeded, but I just never gave up on myself and my coaches and my family never gave up on me. And it was just exciting to see that it was finally paying off.”
Vega doesn’t have much free time between balancing school and wrestling, but when he does have a free moment, you may find him at home playing the new EA Sports College Football 25 or at a local bowling alley. He recently went bowling with his family for his mom’s birthday and says he loved it. Since then, he’s gone bowling at least four times.
But most of his time and energy is spent on wrestling.
He spends about two to three hours practicing for Sunnyside wrestling nearly every day. Typically, in the morning and after school. However, these training sessions don’t include time spent at the Tucson Cyclones Wrestling Club, a wrestling and fitness gym co-founded by his father.
“It was always a dream," said Sergio Vega of being ranked so highly. "So, now it's cool that I'm actually doing it and I'm seeing all my hard work pay off."
Vega recalls starting to wrestle at a young age, but not really enjoying it until later on when he was in middle school.
“Wrestling is hard and it’s tough and (when) I was a little kid I just enjoyed being outside rather than wrestling sometimes,” he said.
Vega credits his older brother Danny, an Ironwood Ridge alum with an 181-3 record and winner of the wrestling Triple Crown and other numerous wrestling championship titles, for inspiring him to further his wrestling career.
“For a long time, I didn't really want to (wrestle),” Vega said. “Then eventually my brother came back from college and he started working with me and then I just started getting better. But it was always like, I’d do it, but I wouldn't really put in the effort or the hard work for it. And then eventually I started finding a little bit of success slowly. And now we're here.”
Vega’s family isn’t the only one who has seen his growth over the last few years. His coach at Sunnyside, who has been with the program for 14 years, says working with Vega has been the “pleasure of a lifetime.”
Sergio Vega, right, spars with Adyn Bostick during wresting practice at Sunnyside High School. Vega is ranked No. 1 in the 138-pound weight class and No. 9 in the pound-for-pound class in the United States.
“It's been an incredible transformation, going from a kid that was not lighting the world on fire in wrestling to wrestling to number one in the country. It's been truly, probably the funnest time in my coaching career,” Leon said.
As Vega wraps up his senior year, he’s focused on enjoying the upcoming season with his teammates, many of whom he’s wrestled with since he was a kid.
“I'm just looking to keep getting better,” he said. “We have a really good season coming up. So, just getting better at wrestling and not really caring about winning or losing and just trying to be the best I could be.”
Five favorites with Sergio
Who's your favorite wrestler?
My brother, Danny.
What’s your favorite wrestling move?
A cradle.
Who’s your favorite rapper?
Rod Wave.
What’s your favorite south-side food spot?
El Güero Canelo.
What’s your favorite class right now?
Math.
