SOLVING MOCCO QUESTION

Konrad changed to overcome biggest dilemma
By Mike Finn, W.I.N. Editor
Wrestling historians may be apt to say, “What happened to Steve Mocco?”
After all, the Oklahoma State heavyweight wrestler used to be the scariest man in college wrestling, dating back to 2001 in Iowa City, Iowa, where he wrestled for two years and compiled a 71-3 record and won a national championship for the Hawkeyes … to his transfer to Stillwater, Okla., where he went unbeaten, won another NCAA championship for the Cowboys and was named the winner of the 2005 Dan Hodge Trophy.
Yet, the native of North Bergen, N.J., ended his career failing to repeat what he enjoyed his first year as Mocco lost more matches this year (four) than the previous three seasons (three) combined and failed to repeat as a national champion.
But there was a reason for Mocco’s departure from the top step of the NCAA heavyweight medal stand: Minnesota’s Cole Konrad.
For it was the Gopher heavyweight — fresh off disappointing losses to Mocco in the 2005 NCAA final and later in the World Team Trials in freestyle wrestling last summer — who single-handedly changed Mocco’s legacy by beating the Cowboy four times this season; once in the NWCA All-Star meet in November, twice in dual meet competition (including a pin of Mocco at the NWCA Cliff Keen National Duals) and most recently in the finals of the NCAA championship.
So rather than ask what went wrong with Mocco’s career. Ask what went right for Konrad’s at Minnesota.
“I think Cole changed,” said Minnesota coach J Robinson. “He’s a great example of what athletics is all about, including his coachability. He’s a very humble guy, but is very diligent. He does what you ask him to do, no matter what it is.”
(You can read the rest of this article by subscribing to W.I.N. Magazine. Either contact our office at 1-888-305-0606 or subscribe through this website by selecting the “Subscribe” section on our front page.)