By Kyle Klingman, W.I.N. Staff Writer

Virtually all the top heavyweights from last season were missing: including two-time NCAA champion Steve Mocco from Oklahoma State, three-time Michigan All-American Greg Wagner, two-time Arizona State All-American Cain Velasquez. All-in-all, five of the eight All-Americans from the 2006 national tournament had graduated.

Meanwhile, two of the returning All-Americans also were not at this year’s NCAA tournament in Auburn Hills. Harvard’s Bode Ogunwole — who placed sixth in 2006 — suffered a season-ending injury while former eighth-place finisher Kirk Nail of Ohio State never started the season.

That meant the heavyweight class at the 2007 NCAA tournament was left to one returning All-American: 2006 NCAA champion Cole Konrad of Minnesota. And with every All-American missing from last year, nobody could blame Cole Konrad for being a little less than motivated entering this season.

But the Freedom, Wisc., native insists that motivation was never a problem. His drive for a second NCAA title coupled with a desire to make World and Olympic teams was all the incentive Konrad would need for his final season at Minnesota.

“I’ve been beaten by people on the freestyle scene and that’s where my focus is,” said Konrad. “Those guys motivate me. I don’t need any more motivation. I guess I’m a pretty self-motivated person.”

Then there was the matter of the winning streak. If the lack of competition was in fact a problem, then continuing a nice, long winning streak ought to spice the season up.

With another 18 wins this season, he would break Tim Hartung’s school record of 58 consecutive matches without a loss.

“In the early part of the season it kept me up at night,” said Konrad. “I talked to (head coach) J (Robinson) and (assistant coach) Marty (Morgan) and they said we don’t care about your winning streak. They told me if you lose a match so what?”

By season’s end, it was those who had to face Konrad who probably had the problems sleeping at night, including Penn State’s Aaron Anspach, who became his 76th straight victim. It was Konrad’s ability to perform under pressure that will be best remembered by wrestling fans. According to Robinson, Konrad decided a meet on 18 separate occasions, including the championship match of the last two National Duals.

Heading into the last session of the NCAA tournament, Minnesota held a 7.5-point lead over Iowa State. The Cyclones had three finalists to Minnesota’s one. That meant that Iowa State would have to win a minimum of two championship matches to have a chance at the title.

Could it be possible that the NCAA title team title would be placed on Konrad’s massive shoulders?

As it turned out, only one Cyclone won an individual title and the need for Konrad to win was relieved. Konrad’s pin in the finals was a mere formality.

“It didn’t come down to Cole, but it really does,” said Robinson. “We had to get into striking distance. If those guys got us where we had to be, we knew Cole could close it for us.”

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