Daniel Dennis's wrestling career is a testament to perseverance, resilience, and the power of self-discovery. His path has been anything but linear, marked by both significant achievements and periods of personal exploration. This article delves into the remarkable journey of Daniel Dennis, from his early wrestling days to his eventual Olympic appearance.
Wrestling at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Early Wrestling Career
A native of Grant, Illinois, Daniel Dennis achieved significant success in high school. For Grant Community High School he was a two-time Illinois state finalist. He also clinched two conference titles. Dennis amassed a career record of 153-28. He also set school records for most wins, most technical falls, and most team points earned.
Collegiate Career at Iowa
Dennis wrestled collegiately for the Iowa Hawkeyes. There, he established himself as a formidable competitor, earning two All-American honors. This included a national runner-up finish in 2010. In the 2010 NCAA finals match, Dennis faced Jayson Ness from the University of Minnesota.
With under five seconds remaining, Dennis conceded four points, resulting in a heartbreaking loss.
Read also: Lapin: A Light Heavyweight to Watch
Achievements at Iowa:
- 2009-10: All-American at 133 pounds, placing second at NCAA Championships
- Placed second at Big Ten Championships, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA meet
- Season record was 22-4, going 16-2 in dual competition and 7-1 at Big Ten duals
- Scored 63 team points in dual competition
- Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week in February
- 2008-09: All-American at 133 pounds, placing seventh at NCAA Championships
- Placed fifth at Big Ten Championships, earning an automatic bid to his first NCAA meet
- Season record of 31-6 included 11 and 10-match winning streaks
- Went 20-2 in dual matches and 8-0 in Big Ten duals
- Scored 76 team points in dual competition, which ranked fifth on the team
- Ranked third in dual wins (20) and major decisions (7), fourth in collegiate wins (31) and fifth in collegiate winning percentage (.838)
- Won Midlands Championships title
- Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week in February
Some fans lose their composure when describing Dennis’ final college match at the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha. Wrestling against Jayson Ness of Minnesota, who had beaten him in the regular season, Dennis all but somersaulted his way out of a takedown in the first period and maintained a 4-2 lead going into the end of the match. But with fewer than 15 seconds to go, Ness moved from an unfinished leg attack to a bear hug, not only scoring a takedown (two points) but also putting Dennis on his back (two more points) for the win.
Life After College
After his NCAA finals loss, Dennis stepped away from wrestling for a few years. He embraced a nomadic lifestyle, living out of his truck and later a trailer. He traveled around the Western United States, wrestling and coaching sporadically.
Initially when he moved out of Iowa City he slept in his truck every day for a little over six months, right around a half year. After fixing the brakes on a 1986 Ford F-150, noting that the front seat was just big enough to sleep in, Dennis spent six months of 2013 riding bikes and climbing rocks in Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho. His brother turned him on to desert towers in Utah. Dennis eventually tried out Indian Creek and Castleton Tower, working his grip on the slick spots of calcite that run along the four-pitch Kor-Ingalls route.
During the three years after school, Dennis competed in a few regional and international wrestling tournaments and did well.
Read also: Wrestling Career of Daniel Bryan
Living on his own, moving to California-I caught a fifth wheel from a buddy and was living in that-it was a pretty simple lifestyle. There weren't many distractions. It was enjoyable for me, but I think that's my personality more than most people. I was kind of stagnant. I needed a change. I was in a situation where I was able to do that. I didn't have any college debt. I didn't have any money saved up, but it was an opportunity that I had where I could go and screw around for a little bit of time and not have to worry about supporting anybody else or, really, anything. Except getting some fuel money to make it to the next place. That was my only focus, and I didn't have the responsibilities that a lot of kids have.
Daniel Dennis with his truck in Moab, Utah
Dennis with his truck in Moab, Utah. I know people want to make it a big story like that. I don't really look at it that way. I look at it as, at the time it was the right thing to do. I moved out of Iowa City because I wasn't motivated in my wrestling. I wasn't there for a good reason, I was just there. Moving out made sense at the time. I don't really look at it as a romantic, Cinderella story or anything like that. I look at it as, it made sense to move out and it made sense to be done wrestling. Living on my own, moving to California, it all made sense. Coming back, it was like, I'll give this a shot for one tournament.
After his NCAA finals loss, Dennis checked out for a few years, living out of his truck and later a trailer, traveling around the Western United States while wrestling and coaching sporadically.
To earn some fuel money, Dennis found work coaching at wrestling camps and eventually a California high school. His former coach Tom Brands continued to remind Dennis of one more potential competition: the Olympics.
Read also: Sherdog Record: Daniel Barez Breakdown
Return to Wrestling
Dennis would eventually make a return to wrestling. After spending more than two years drifting around the west coast, Dennis returned to the Midwest to face off with opponents who had spent the past few years relentlessly training. The wins have kept coming, too, most recently at the Grand Prix of Germany in July.
He made two USA national teams (top 3 at the World Team Trials), at 61 kg in 2015 and 57 kg in 2016. He won the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials at 57 KG and competed at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Daniel Dennis Advances to 2016 Summer Olympics
Key Achievements After Return:
- Two-time USA National Team member (2015, 2016)
- 2016 US Olympic Team Trials Champion
- Competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics
- University Nationals Freestyle champion
- Won Grand Prix of Germany and Grand Prix of Spain
After Rio, I'm going to load up my truck and head to California to be around my friends for a couple of weeks and hang out with them. It's been good. I'm older, so my training has changed a little bit from how it was in college. I'm a little older now, and my body doesn't hold up as well as it used to. Gotta stay healthy. Just wrestling. I keep it pretty simple. I'm not there as a tourist.
Dennis returned last March to Iowa City to spend a couple weeks around the program prior to the NCAA Championships. It soon became apparent his skills, strength and stamina hadn’t diminished during the time off.
Olympic Team this past April, after coming to the trials as an underdog. Even for a wrestler, he is uncommonly rugged-looking. Standing five foot five inches tall and rangy, with the build of a bantam Tarzan, Dennis has grown a beard since graduating in 2010 from the University of Iowa, where he was a two-time All-American. He often wears a pair of wraparound sunglasses on his forehead, giving him the appearance of a bike mechanic or climbing guide on his day off.
Since he won the Olympic trials in Iowa City, news articles have shown Dennis riding his motorcycle in the dirt and popping a wheelie. “It just so happens that he uses rock climbing or doing circus tricks on motorcycles to quiet and calm his spirit and his mind,” coach Terry Brands says.
“His was a very calculated and resourceful way of coming back to the sport, and he did a brilliant job of it, even though we knew he was coming back. We knew that all along.
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | NCAA Championships | 2nd Place |
| 2015 | World Team Trials | Top 3 |
| 2016 | US Olympic Team Trials | 1st Place |
| 2016 | Rio Olympics | Competitor |