David Zabriskie (wrestler)

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This article is about the American wrestler. For the American cyclist, see David Zabriskie.
David Zabriskie
Zabriski in 2013
Personal information
Full nameDavid Zabriskie
Born (1986-12-19) December 19, 1986 (age 37)
Home townBranchville, New Jersey, U.S.
Alma materIowa State University
Height5’11"
Weight210 lb (95 kg)
Sport
SportWrestling
Weight class285lbs, 96kgs
Event(s)Freestyle and scholastic wrestling
College teamIowa State Cyclones
ClubSunkist Kids, Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club
Coached byBobby Douglas, Cael Sanderson, Kevin Jackson
RetiredTeam USA
Now coachingElevation Fight Team
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Men's freestyle wrestling
Pan American Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Panama City 96 kg
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the Iowa State Cyclones
NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Omaha 285 lb
Big 12 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 Columbia 285 lb
Gold medal – first place 2009 Lincoln 285 lb
Gold medal – first place 2010 Norman 285 lb
Silver medal – second place 2008 Stillwater 285 lb

David Zabriskie (born December 19, 1986) is a retired American amateur wrestler and current wrestling coach for Elevation Fight Team in Denver. Zabriskie wrestled for the Iowa State Cyclones and is a three-time Big 12 Conference champion, three-time All-American in NCAA Division I collegiate wrestling, and won the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in the 285lb weight class in 2010.

Early life[edit]

Zabriskie began wrestling in 1996 while in the 4th grade, but did not continue after that season. He would return to the sport in 1999 to give wrestling a second try for the Branchville Bombers. It was then that Zabriskie started to find his love for the sport.[1]

Wrestling career[edit]

High school[edit]

2000-2005

Zabriskie wrestled for High Point Regional High School in Wantage Township, New Jersey under head coach John Gardner. As a freshman Zabriskie wrestled at 171lbs on Junior Varsity for the Wildcats, he would not break the varsity starting lineup until the following year. As a Sophomore Zabriskie moved up to 189lbs and compiled a 20–5 record, but failed to qualify for the Region and NJ State tournaments.[2] During his junior year Zabriskie once again moved up a weight class to 215lbs. He compiled a record of 30-7 and placed 2nd in district 3, 2nd in region 1, and 6th at the NJSIAA State Wrestling Tournament. As a senior Zabriskie remained in the 215lbs division and went undefeated finishing 1st in District 3, 1st in Region 1, and finishing 1st in the state of New Jersey. He finished his high school career with a combined record of 89–13.[3]

High school accolades[edit]

  • High School Record 89-13
  • New Jersey State Champion
  • 2x State Placer

Collegiate[edit]

Redshirt[edit]

In 2005 Zabriskie[4] used a Redshirt to postpone his NCAA eligibility.

Freshman[edit]

Zabriskie[4] started for the Iowa State Cyclones as a freshman in the 285lb weight class. As a rookie Zabriskie would help clinch ISU's first conference wrestling title in 25 years with a 3-2 decision over the Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls Jared Rosholt in the finals of the 2007 Big 12 Conference tournament[5] This qualified Zabriskie for the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan He would go 3–2 at the tournament[6] finishing one win short of becoming an All-American as a Freshman, but helping his team to a second-place finish as a team. Zabriskie finished his rookie season with a record of 27-8 and 13–2 in dual meets.[7]

Sophomore[edit]

Zabriskie[4] wrapped up his sophomore season with a 29–8 record and 16–3 in dual meets. He would again make it to the finals of the Big 12 Championships, but this time falling short of a second championship falling to Jared Rosholt in the finals.[8] Iowa state would still win its second consecutive team title a qualify at all 10 of its varsity wrestlers for the NCAA tournament. At the 2008 NCAA tournament in St Louis, Missouri, Zabriskie would earn his first All-American honors placing 6th at the tournament, helping contribute to Iowa State's 7 all Americans that year. They finished 5th as a team.

Junior[edit]

Zabriskie[4] concluded his junior Cyclone season with a 34–4 record and 16–1 in dual meets. He would go on to win his second Big 12 Conference title with a 3-1 decision over Missouri Tigers Mark Ellis and for the second time clinch Iowa States Big 12 Conference title making it three in a row for the Cyclones.[9][8] Zabriskie would enter the 2009 NCAA wrestling tournament as the number one seeded wrestler in the 285lb division. He went on to win his first 3 matches before falling in the semi-finals to Konrad Dudziak of Duke 3–2. Zabriskie would go on to finish 5th at the 2009 NCAA tournament and as a team the Cyclones would finish in 3rd place with 5 All-Americans.[10]

Senior[edit]

In Zabriskie's[4] final year of competition for the Cyclones, he finished with a season record of 26-2 and 11–1 in dual meets. He would go on to win his 3rd Big 12 Conference Championship and for the fourth time qualify for the NCAA Wrestling Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. Zabriskie would again enter the tournament as the number one seed.[11] In his first-round match he wrestled Wisconsin's Eric Bugenhagen to a 6-2 decision. In the second-round he defeated Arizona states Erik Nye via decision 4–2. Moving on to the quarter finals he wrestled the returning 2009 NCAA Champion, Mark Ellis, winning 4–1. His win against Ellis secured Zabriskie his 3rd All-American finish and moved him into the semifinals again against Duke Blue Devils Konrad Dudziak the returning 2009's NCAA finalist. Zabriskie won the match this time by decision 6–5. In Zabriskie's first appearance in the NCAA finals he would face 2009's 3rd-place finisher, Jared Rosholt, this was the 10th time in their collegiate careers they would face off. Zabriskie won their final bout and the 2010 NCAA Title by decision 3–2.[12]

Collegiate accolades[edit]

  • Collegiate Record 116-22
  • Dual Meets, 57-7
  • 4x NCAA D1 Qualifier[13]
  • 3x All-American
  • 3x Big 12 Conference Champion[8]
  • 4x Big 12 Conference Finalist
  • NCAA Champion
  • Iowa State's only 3x Heavyweight All-American[13]
  • AWN All-Rookie First Team[4]

Freestyle wrestling career[edit]

Cyclone Wrestling Club[edit]

2010-2012

After graduating from Iowa State University in 2010 Zabriskie stayed in Ames, Iowa and competed for the Cyclone Wrestling Club and the Sunkist Kids. During this time Zabriskie Placed 4th at the US Senior Nationals, 2nd at the Olympic Trails Qualifier, and went 3–2 at the 2012 US Olympic Trials finishing 6th.[14]

Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club[edit]

2012-2016

After the 2012 Olympic Trials, Zabriskie moved his training to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to compete for the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club. Zabriskie would go on to All-American at U.S. Senior Nationals two more times, take a bronze at the Pan Am Championships,[15] and take silver at the Alexander 2013 Medved Golden Grand Prix.[16][17]

Coaching[edit]

Collegiate[edit]

Colorado School of the Mines[edit]

2019–Present

Zabriskie was hired as an assistant wrestling coach for the 2019–2020 season wrestling for the Colorado Mines Orediggers in Golden, Colorado[18]

MMA[edit]

Elevation Fight Team[edit]

2016–Present

Zabriskie started working with the team in the fall of 2016 and became the wrestling coach for Elevation Fight Team at the start 2017 taking over for former wrestling coach and head coach of the team Leister Bowling.[19]

Notable Fighters

Acting[edit]

Foxcatcher[edit]

In 2012, Zabriskie[21] was cast for the role of Dan Bane in the 5x academy award nominated movie Foxcatcher. His character is based on real-life wrestler, friend, and teammate of Dave Schultz and Mark Schultz, Dan Chaid. During production Zabriskie additionally participated in the films wrestling choreography and training for the main cast helping teach Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo period correct wrestling technique.

Football[edit]

Cleveland Browns[edit]

In 2010, after coming off of a heavyweight national championship, Zabriskie received an invitation from then head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Eric Mangini[22] to attend their summer rookie camp Zabriskie tried out for the inside linebacker position but was not picked by the Browns after the camp.[23] This was Zabriskie's 1st and only venture into football.

Awards and honors[edit]

2016
  • (4th) Dave Schultz Memorial International (97 kg)
  • 2nd place, silver medalist(s) US Olympic Trials Qualifier (120 kg)
  • Inducted into the HPRS Hall of Fame
  • Inducted into the NJ Region 1 Wrestling Hall of Fame
2015
  • Inducted into the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame[24]
2014
  • (6th) US Freestyle Nationals (97 kg)
2013
2012
2011
  • (5th) Cerro Pelado International (96 kg)
  • (5th) Dave Schultz Memorial International (96 kg)
  • (4th) US Freestyle Nationals (96 kg)
  • 2nd place, silver medalist(s) US Olympic Trials Qualifier (120 kg)
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
  • 1st place, gold medalist(s) Midlands (Team)

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Writer, Luke Plansky-Daily Staff. "WRESTLING: The lore of Z". Iowa State Daily.
  2. ^ "Induction junction". www.spartaindependent.com.
  3. ^ "High Point wrestling coach influential in grad's success". New Jersey Herald.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "David Zabriskie - Wrestling". Iowa State University Athletics.
  5. ^ Iowa State Wins Big 12 Championships. |https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/2589?
  6. ^ 77th NCAA Wrestling Tournament wrestlingstats.com
  7. ^ "Alumni Watch: High Point's Dave Zabriskie". New Jersey Herald.
  8. ^ a b c "Big 12 Conference" (PDF). big12sports.com.
  9. ^ "Zabriskie Clutch Again; ISU Makes History". Iowa State University Athletics.
  10. ^ 79th NCAA Wrestling Tournament wrestlingstats.com/
  11. ^ 2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket https://nwhof.org/NCAA-Brackets/PDF/NCAA-2010.pdf
  12. ^ Staff, Star-Ledger (March 21, 2010). "High point grad wins NCAA Heavyweight wrestling crown". nj.
  13. ^ a b "Wrestling History (PDF)" (PDF). Iowa State University Athletics.
  14. ^ "April 2012 – SECTION 9 WRESTLING". sectionixwrestling.com. 30 April 2012.
  15. ^ "FLASH Four U S men freestyle 26308". Team USA. 7 April 2013. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  16. ^ "Dlagnev wins gold U S nets f 26142". Team USA. 2 March 2013. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Former Wildcat Zabriskie hungry to make 2016 Olympics". New Jersey Herald.
  18. ^ "Dave Zabriskie - Wrestling Coach". Colorado School of Mines Athletics.
  19. ^ Kuhl, Dan (17 June 2023). "UFC on Fox 27's Drew Dober: 'I am a Dense Individual'".
  20. ^ Mindenhall, Chuck (April 27, 2019). "Bantamweight upstart Cory Sandhagen has a plan: Get in, seize the prizes, get out". MMA Fighting.
  21. ^ IMDB – David Zabriskie https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6889547
  22. ^ "Zabriskie Participates In Mini-Camp With Cleveland Browns". Iowa State University Athletics.
  23. ^ Cleveland Browns Rookie Camp https://www.thegazette.com/2010/05/05/cyclones-zabriskie-enjoyed-short-lived-nfl-career
  24. ^ Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame |https://usatodayhss.com/2015/six-elected-to-sussex-county-sports-hall-of-fame
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