“Frat boy,” “Puerto Rican” and “Techie” are a few of the taunts junior John Velez says he hears from his wrestling teammates when they want to cut him down to size.

But Velez, at 5 feet 4, 125 pounds, has the right to have a little extra confidence.

He is ranked 10th in the nation. He placed well in two big December tournaments. And he has a team-best record of 14-3.

With his strong credentials, Velez will lead the Wildcats as they wrestle Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, Mich., on Friday night and Eastern Illinois in Charleston, Ill., on Sunday afternoon.

The Kings Mill, Ohio, native’s accolades didn’t come without a price.

He won his weight division at the Newark, Del., Beast of the East tournament on Dec. 19 and finished fourth at the Midlands Wrestling Championship in Evanston on Dec. 30. Some say the competition at the Midlands is comparable to that of the NCAA Championships.

Velez says each day he goes to practice he knows it’s going to be tough. He and his teammates enter the wrestling arena tired and sore. They leave sweat-drenched and bleeding. But even when he’s dragging, Velez knows he has only two options.

“You know that you are either going to get your butt kicked or pick it up,” Velez said. “So you always rise to the level.”

For a sport that tests a competitor’s physical strength and power, Velez says he has to make the transition from his good-natured self to being an aggressive competitor.

“You have to have a switch you can turn on and off,” he said. In practice, he said, two teammates will often be wrestling so intensely that they come close to blows. But at the end of the drill they can easily joke and compliment each other on the workout, he said.

He said he focuses on a goal to motivate himself through difficult practices, when trying to make weight and during competitions.

“This year I know I want to qualify for Nationals and be an All-American,” he said. “I have a goal and I want to reach for it.”

Coach Tim Cysewski says that Velez has been successful this season because he worked hard during the summer, allowing him to come back strong, powerful and a full-fledged 125 pounds.

Velez, however, credits his recent wins to listening to Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” before each match.

“I try to be as calm as possible before each match,” Velez said. “I try to think of a funny quote or a good song. I wrestle best when I’m happy and prepared.”