Denny ready to make his mark at final tournament

If Jordan Denny's past tells you anything about him it's that he doesn't back down from a challenge and all a little adversity does is fuels the fire inside him and makes him work harder. Sounds like someone you might not want to face in a wrestling match. This weekend Denny will be competing in the 2021 NAIA National Wrestling Championships in Park City, Kansas. The 2015 Folsom High graduate and now senior at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, will be capping off his wrestling career with big goals mind. "I always figured my wrestling career would end at a national tournament somewhere," Denny said. "This is awesome. I'm grateful I've made it to this point. I'm happy, but not satisfied. My goal is a top-eight finish and to be an All-American, and also for the team to place in the top-10 or even higher." Denny will have his work cut out from him, but he'd have it no other way. He placed sixth at the Heart of America Conference Championships and earned an at-large big to nationals. In that tournament, Denny only earned one win, but the five wrestlers who finished ahead of him are all ranked nationally. "Placing sixth doesn't sound impressive, but two of those guys are returning All-Americans and all five are ranked in the top-10 in the country," said Denny, who has posted a 13-6 record this season in the 165-pound weight class. "I've seen the best in the country in my conference. I know I can grapple with them." Throughout his wrestling career, which began in eighth grade at Sutter Middle School, Denny has faced the best and lost to the best, but it's not once altered his desire to compete and achieve. He just keeps moving forward. His first year as a high school wrestler, Denny said he was mediocre at best, losing more matches at the junior varsity level than he won. He dedicated himself in the offseason to work even harder and he improved each year throughout his career. By the time he was a senior at Folsom, he had a solid season, posting a 35-9 record. However, one thing Denny didn't enjoy at Folsom High was postseason success, because two wrestlers in front of him were two of Folsom High's most accomplished wrestlers in school history; Lorenzo De La Riva and Mason Koshiyama. De La Riva is a two-time state placer, finishing second one year, and a three-time All-American, while Koshiyama was a state placer and two-time All-American. Both wrestlers beat out Denny for the postseason in 2014 and 2015, respectively. "You've got to be the best guy in the room to be in position," Denny said. "Nothing is given to you. You have to earn your opportunity. Seeing guys I had beaten get to sections and state put a chip on my shoulder and helped me succeed and achieve more down the road. I don't know if I'd be where I am now without that chip on my shoulder." Without individual postseason success, Denny said the highlight of his high school career was helping the Bulldogs to their second consecutive Section dual championship in 2015. From Folsom High, Denny moved on to Sac City College. He had a decent first year, but decided to red shirt his second season. In the spring of 2017, Denny suffered his biggest setback when he torn his ACL in his right knee. "That was probably my most discouraging moment right there," Denny said. "I'm going 110 miles per hour working hard and training and then every came to an abrupt halt. All these plans, all the extra work scrapped right there. I thought about just going on with my education and be done with wrestling, but I was taught to finish what I start." Denny recovered and was back wrestling at Sac City in the fall of 2018 and had what he called a solid year with a lot of improvement. He posted a record of 23-12 and had a chance to do some damage in the postseason until history repeated itself. A teammate beat Denny out for his spot in the postseason lineup in a best-of-three match wrestle-off. A few days later, however, another opportunity greeted Denny, a wrestle-off at the heavyweight position. Believe it or not, Denny defeated his heavyweight teammate and had a spot on the postseason roster. "I had to weigh 183 ½ pounds just to qualify, so I had to eat everything I could just to make it there," said Denny, who wrestled at 174 most of the season. "I had a big breakfast the morning of regionals and made weight and then ended up going 2-2 in the tournament, placing fifth and moved on to the state tournament despite giving up between 55 to 85 pounds to my opponents." Things didn't go as well at the state tournament, as Denny lost both his matches, but what an accomplishment. "Jordan Denny is the perfect example of what you can accomplish through hard work and perseverance," Folsom High wrestling coach Mike Collier said. "What makes his journey so remarkable is what he's had to endure and go through to get to this point. He's had to fight for a spot in the lineup everywhere he's been and even bumped up to heavyweight at Sac City. He eventually earned a scholarship to Graceland in Iowa." Looking back over his career, Denny said the sport of wrestling has taught him a lot. "Wrestling has taught me to hold myself accountable," Denny said. "It's taught me to believe that I can improve and succeed. Just the wrestler's mindset: embrace challenges. I took a leap of faith and came to Graceland and it's been all I've hoped for and more. I've been able to contribute and it's been great to be a part of the team." A criminal justice major with minors in sociology and psychology, Denny said he's looking for a career in law enforcement once he graduates in May.