University of Minnesota Athletics
Define and Conquer: Senior Cole Konrad
12/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
When two of the most storied programs in college wrestling take the mat tonight, something will be a little different. Over the last couple of seasons, the great rivalry between Minnesota and Oklahoma State has perhaps been defined more by the rivalry of its two heavyweights - Cole Konrad and Steve Mocco. The individual rivalry no longer exists after Mocco graduated last year, but Konrad said he will have no problem getting up for the match.
“It’s still Oklahoma State,” he said. “They have another pretty good kid who is filling Mocco’s spot, so I’m definitely going to have to be ready to go.”
Konrad spent much of the early part of his career at Minnesota chasing Mocco. The OSU heavyweight won the national title in 2004 while Konrad finished fourth. He narrowed the gap as a sophomore but was unable to solve Mocco in three overtime defeats, the last which came in the 2005 NCAA finals. Then a revelation came last year at the NWCA All-Star Classic, an exhibition match which pits the nation’s top two wrestlers at each weight class against each other. Konrad defeated Mocco, 4-1, and while the victory did not count towards their official records, Konrad knew he had finally caught up to his nemesis.
“It was definitely a big deal for me,” he said. “We wrestled in the national semis my junior year of high school and I didn’t fare very well. Then when we wrestled in college I gradually kept closing the gap. My sophomore year, I just kept losing close matches pretty much in overtime every time. I worked really hard in the off-season and to finally come back and beat him last year felt really good. All the hard work finally paid off.”
However, Konrad also knew that in order to truly establish himself as the nation’s top heavyweight he would have to beat Mocco in an official match. He did just that with a pin in the finale of last year’s National Duals. The victory ended Mocco’s 85-match winning streak and snapped a streak of 30 consecutive duals without a loss for the Cowboys. Konrad proved the first victory was not a fluke by defeating Mocco two more times last season, including a 5-2 decision in the national championship match. The victory capped a perfect 41-0 season for Konrad, the best season ever for a Golden Gopher wrestler.
Now in his senior year, Konrad is the class of college wrestling at the heavyweight division. In a sense, he is in the same situation as Mocco was the last few seasons, but do not expect Konrad to give up his post as the top-ranked wrestler in the nation.
“Cole has handled the whole situation really well,” assistant head coach Marty Morgan stated. “He’s confident in where he’s at this year but hasn’t settled for complacency. He has trained as hard, if not harder, than he ever has before with the idea that he wants to distance himself from the rest of the competition.”
A native of Freedom, Wis., Konrad came to the University of Minnesota a bit under the radar but had the desire to carry on the tradition of great Gopher heavyweights. The list includes three-time All-American Billy Pierce, two-time All-American Shelton Benjamin, two-time All-American and 2000 National Champion Brock Lesnar, and two-time All-American Garrett Lowney. Following a career in which he has already won one national title and earned All-America honors three times, Konrad may go down as the best ever. However, he shuns off all comparisons and is humble about his accomplishments.
“Those guys have all done pretty amazing things in wrestling and outside of wrestling, so to be mentioned along with them is simply an honor,” he stated.
After redshirting his freshman season, all of Konrad’s achievements have come through a great deal of hard work. He compares his progress in college to the similar way in which he began his high school career on the junior varsity before becoming the No. 1 heavyweight in the country as a senior. And while he is on pace to become Minnesota’s all-time leader in wins, pins and consecutive victories, Konrad continues to work towards bigger goals.
“I don’t really think so much about the records or winning another national title. Those aren’t my main goals right now. My main goal is making the World Team, placing at the World Championships and ultimately going to Beijing in 2008. That’s what motivates me, and I know if I’m working towards that then winning another national title will come along with it.”
If history is any indication, Konrad is sure to conquer anyone who stands in his way.
story by Tory Kukowski, athletic communications intern
