By Sam Gordon
Murphy News Service
Wayzata native Danny Zilverberg knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up — an All-American wrestler.
“It’s been a goal ever since I was ten years old,” the Wayzata High School grad said. “I remember going to the NCAA Tournament and watching the parade of All-Americans.”
And on March 22, Zilverberg was in the parade of All-Americans.
That’s something he’ll always remember.
Zilverberg, 23, capped his collegiate career as an All-American with a seventh-place finish in the 165-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla.
“I fell short of it last year, but to be able to go out like that, it just means so much to be and my family,” he said. “For the rest of my life I’ll be an All-American.”
It was a roller-coaster ride for Zilverberg, who was in and out of Minnesota’s lineup until midway through his junior year. But he persevered through the dejections and secured the job at 157 pounds.
Still, he was one-and-done at the 2012-13 NCAA Tournament.
Zilverberg’s coaches still saw a lot of growth nonetheless. Gophers assistant coach Brandon Eggum said he could sense a different kind of focus from Zilverberg during that season, and that was something that carried over in to the 2013-14 season.
“You could see a big change from where he started and where he finished. No doubt about it,” said Eggum, who also coached Zilverberg at the Hi-Flyers Wrestling Club.
Eggum said being around other elite wrestlers helped bring the best out of Zilverberg and pointed to the wrestler’s family as key factor in his improvement.
Zilverberg said that before every match he talked to his older brother David, who also wrestled for the Gophers.
“Anything that he had problems with, anything that I had problems with, we would just talk it through,” David Zilverberg said. “We’ve always kind of helped each other with different things we’ve struggled with.”
Next season, they’ll be helping each other on the sidelines. David Zilverberg is a coach for the Wayzata youth program and Danny is set to join him in the fall.
David Zilverberg said he thinks his family’s success helps inspires younger wrestlers in the Wayzata area.
“A lot of those guys coming through the youth program looked up to us over the years and we’re seeing a lot more of them wrestle after high school,” he said.
Added Danny: “We’re going to try to help build Wayzata in to a powerhouse program.”
Sam Gordon is studying journalism