University of Minnesota Athletics
Freshman Friday: Dylan Urbach
7/24/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
As three-time All-American Scott Schiller wrapped up his Gopher career this season, another standout from the Peace Garden State entered the Gopher wrestling room to start what he hopes will be an equally fruitful career. In his first year at Minnesota, Dylan Urbach ââ'¬" who hails from Lisbon, N.D., a 2,000-person town in southeastern corner of the state ââ'¬" earned 13 victories and watched his results improve from not placing at the Daktronics Open to begin the year to a third-place finish at the Cobber Open and a share of the title at the season-ending North Country Open. The six-time North Dakota state placewinner sat down with GopherSports.com earlier this summer to talk about a few of the challenges he faced coming to Minneapolis from Lisbon, how he overcame them and his amazement at the brotherhood within Gopher Wrestling.
What were the challenges in your first year as student-athlete at the college level?
During first semester, my time management was not very good. I come from a small town, too, so this is a big change in atmosphere. But second semester, I got it down pretty easily. I knew where my classes were and I managed my time a lot better. My schoolwork was a lot better than it was first semester.
What's the biggest transition from high school wrestling to college wrestling?
It's definitely a beating right away. You come in and you're getting beat up every single day. You have to work as hard as you can. It's pretty unreal how big of a jump I made from high school to now, to be able to hang with the top guys in the room.
What do you notice that lets you know you're getting better?
Right away, it was pretty embarrassing how badly I was getting beat by the guys in the room, but now I'm right there with them. I'm just one step closer to making a starting spot. That's my goal.
What specifics things do you think you've improved over the past year?
Everything. Top, bottom, feet. My mentality has gotten a lot better, too. I don't give up as easily as I did in high school if I get taken down. You have to keep getting better at everything to survive down there in the practice room.
How would you describe a workout in the wrestling room at Minnesota to someone who has never been down there?
It's intense. It's crazy, coming from Lisbon, North Dakota. It was never this way back home. I probably lose seven to 10 pounds every practice. It's pretty intense.
Looking back now, how do you feel about your rookie season?
It was alright. Every tournament I got better and better. I went from not placing at my first one to tying for first at my last one. If I could go back and wrestle the kids I wrestled at the first tournament, I know I'd place, for sure.
Do you have a match that stands out from this past season?
When I got tech-falled at the Bison Open [by Cody Pack of South Dakota State], just because I don't think he was that much better than me. He was nationally ranked and it got to my head a little bit. It was my first time ever wrestling a kid like that. I think if I wrestled him again it would be a lot different.
What lessons do you learn from matches like that?
You have to realize, [Gopher wrestlers] are some of the best in the country. I can't focus on who's nationally ranked and who's not. I have to go out there and do what I've been doing for the past 14 years of my life.
After some of the things you learned from your transition to college, what's one piece of advice you'd give to an incoming freshman?
Just don't take anything for granted. Work hard through everything.
What's something away from wrestling that was memorable from your first year at Minnesota
I would say the brotherhood of my teammates. It's pretty amazing to me how everyone gets along and is so close on this team.
Players Mentioned
