University of Minnesota Athletics
Nothing Less Than Excellence: Wrestler Jon Duncombe
3/2/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
"I wanted to come to a school where winning is something the coaches demanded," Duncombe said. While he had a successful career at St. Cloud, others in the program didn't share his same level of intensity and commitment. "I wanted to be somewhere where they wrestle to win," he said.
Duncombe saw the University of Minnesota as an opportunity to be on a team with a championship attitude and he seized his opportunity.
The transition to the University of Minnesota has been easy for Duncombe. He feels comfortable with the team and coaches, his 23 overall wins this season show exactly how comfortable he is. At Minnesota "there's a lot more attention," Duncombe said. "One-on-one they (coaches) give you more time."
The quality of the Minnesota coaches and their work ethic is another reason Duncombe transferred. He likes the amount of time the coaching staff puts in to make Minnesota one of the best wrestling programs in the country. Now Duncombe wrestles where no one settles for less than being a champion. Duncombe has experienced success at every level of his wrestling career, but his desire to be the best won't let him be content. He isn't concerned with his accolades, "I just focus on the future and trying to get better every day," he said.
Duncombe is very focused on the future, with the biggest goal of all in his sights. "I want to be a national champion before I graduate."
His hometown of St. Michael, Minnesota is only about 30 minutes away. Duncombe has 10 siblings, including five brothers, all of whom wrestled. His oldest brother started wrestling when he was in ninth grade, Jon and the rest of the brothers followed suit. "It's been kind of a family thing," Duncombe said. "The fact is, our family has the third most career wins in the state of Minnesota."
Three of the five Duncombe brothers won state championships with one winning the wrestling "Mr. Minnesota" award. Duncombe, along with two of his brothers, helped St. Michael County Lane High School to its first wrestling state championship in school history.
The next year, Jon, with only one brother this time, helped the school claim its second. More impressive is that Jon is the only one to wrestle collegiately.
With the Big Ten Championships starting March 6, Duncombe is already preparing mentally for the post season. His goal is to "hold nothing back." Duncombe and the rest of the squad are poised for a successful postseason. With the amount of depth and talent, this Gopher team looks to garner teams honors as well as have many individual winners.
Duncombe, a business and marketing education major, plans on working for his brother's business after graduation. He also said working for his father, Gordon, is a possibility.
Right now graduation is the furthest thing on his mind. While Duncombe prepares for the conference and the national tournaments, he keeps his past in mind. He remembers where he has been and the work he has put in, in order to achieve his goals. From wrestling with his brothers in high school to wrestling on the national stage, Duncombe continues to settle for nothing less than excellence.
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kevin Morales. He welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu.
After two years of wrestling at St. Cloud State University, Jon Duncombe needed a change. The two-time Division II All-American wanted to be part of a storied, proud wrestling program, much to Minnesota's delight.
"I wanted to come to a school where winning is something the coaches demanded," Duncombe said. While he had a successful career at St. Cloud, others in the program didn't share his same level of intensity and commitment. "I wanted to be somewhere where they wrestle to win," he said.
Duncombe saw the University of Minnesota as an opportunity to be on a team with a championship attitude and he seized his opportunity.
The transition to the University of Minnesota has been easy for Duncombe. He feels comfortable with the team and coaches, his 23 overall wins this season show exactly how comfortable he is. At Minnesota "there's a lot more attention," Duncombe said. "One-on-one they (coaches) give you more time."
The quality of the Minnesota coaches and their work ethic is another reason Duncombe transferred. He likes the amount of time the coaching staff puts in to make Minnesota one of the best wrestling programs in the country. Now Duncombe wrestles where no one settles for less than being a champion. Duncombe has experienced success at every level of his wrestling career, but his desire to be the best won't let him be content. He isn't concerned with his accolades, "I just focus on the future and trying to get better every day," he said.
Duncombe is very focused on the future, with the biggest goal of all in his sights. "I want to be a national champion before I graduate."
His hometown of St. Michael, Minnesota is only about 30 minutes away. Duncombe has 10 siblings, including five brothers, all of whom wrestled. His oldest brother started wrestling when he was in ninth grade, Jon and the rest of the brothers followed suit. "It's been kind of a family thing," Duncombe said. "The fact is, our family has the third most career wins in the state of Minnesota."
Three of the five Duncombe brothers won state championships with one winning the wrestling "Mr. Minnesota" award. Duncombe, along with two of his brothers, helped St. Michael County Lane High School to its first wrestling state championship in school history.
The next year, Jon, with only one brother this time, helped the school claim its second. More impressive is that Jon is the only one to wrestle collegiately.
With the Big Ten Championships starting March 6, Duncombe is already preparing mentally for the post season. His goal is to "hold nothing back." Duncombe and the rest of the squad are poised for a successful postseason. With the amount of depth and talent, this Gopher team looks to garner teams honors as well as have many individual winners.
Duncombe, a business and marketing education major, plans on working for his brother's business after graduation. He also said working for his father, Gordon, is a possibility.
Right now graduation is the furthest thing on his mind. While Duncombe prepares for the conference and the national tournaments, he keeps his past in mind. He remembers where he has been and the work he has put in, in order to achieve his goals. From wrestling with his brothers in high school to wrestling on the national stage, Duncombe continues to settle for nothing less than excellence.
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kevin Morales. He welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu.
