Dustin KilgoreAs of this writing, Kilgore is 21-3, with those three losses coming against opponents ranked in the top five at 184. (In RevWrestling.com's rankings, Kilgore is sixth in his weight class, and is the highest-ranked freshman.) Seven of those wins were by pin; four by technical fall, and three by major decision. He claimed the 184-pound crown at both the 2008 Oklahoma Gold and Southern Scuffle tournaments.
The new year is off to a great start for Dustin Kilgore. On January 2, he was named Mid-American Conference (MAC) wrestler of the week. At the 2009 Virginia Duals held January 9-10, Kilgore got a 6-3 win over Bucknell's David Thompson, and defeated David Craig of Lehigh, 8-4, on the first day … while, on Saturday, he scored a 23-9 major decision over University of Virginia's Rocco Caproni (ranked ninth at RevWrestling.com), a 16-5 major decision over Colin Hitschler of the University of Pennsylvania, and a 17-1 technical fall over Old Dominion's Derek Coffey to go five for five.
No Golden Flash in the pan
Dustin Kilgore's phenomenal 2008-2009 season was foreshadowed by an impressive redshirt season last year. As an unattached wrestler, the Berea, Ohio, native built a 27-1 record, winning tournaments at Kent State, Cleveland State, Michigan State, Ashland and Edinboro … and placing second at Penn State. At the 2008 FILA Cadet Nationals, Kilgore was 5-2, earning All-American honors, and qualifying for the University World Team Trials. Kilgore won the FILA Junior National Championship title in Las Vegas, winning his first three matches by fall. In the finals, Kilgore beat Kirk Smith, 2008 NCAA All-American from Boise State.
Dustin Kilgore is 21-3, with those three losses coming against opponents ranked in the top five at 184 (Photo/Kent State University Sports Information)As noted earlier, Kilgore has won seven of his matches this season by putting his opponents' shoulders to the mat. All but one of these falls took place in the first period, with three in less than a minute. That might leave the impression that Kilgore is a pinning machine. When asked if he considers himself a 'fall guy,' Kilgore responds, "It just happens to work out that way. I'm looking to win, not necessarily going for a pin."
What works: Sticking with the basics
Ask Kilgore to describe his wrestling style, and the 184-pound Golden Flash answers, "Nothing fancy, just sticking to the basics. The stuff that worked for me at age 8 still works for me."
"I like to think of myself as a hard worker."
Jim Andrassy"You get a guy like him and it trickles down. Other guys in the wrestling room feed off him."
When asked to analyze Dustin Kilgore's on-the-mat style, coach Andrassy says, "He moves a lot, especially for an upper-weight wrestler. He's constantly working, but he never gets tired. His conditioning is incredible."
"He knows how to get a guy on his back, and is strong enough to keep him there. I think that's why a number of his matches have ended with a fall."
"Dustin's very aggressive, always going for the takedown … We're working with him to be more selective on his shots, to develop patience, to sharpen his handfighting skills."
Along with Dustin Kilgore's never-stop work ethic, Andrassy is impressed with his 184's character. "He's definitely not one to brag. He's very modest about his accomplishments."
Andrassy, a 1995 Kent State grad now in his sixth year as head coach, immediately followed up with a specific example of Kilgore's conscientious attitude: "At the Oklahoma (Gold), in one of his matches, the ref awarded him a point, and Dustin told him, 'I didn't earn it.'"
Back in Berea …
Dustin Kilgore was destined to wrestle. He grew up in a natural wrestling hotbed, northeast Ohio. And there's a family connection, too. "My dad wrestled in high school, and wanted me to take it up," says the nineteen-year-old Kent State wrestler, referring to his father, Kevin Kilgore. "I started at age seven or eight."
"I grew up in Berea, and started wrestling in a 'biddy' program in nearby Strongsville."
Dustin Kilgore compiled a record of 149-20 as a prep prior to coming to Kent State (Photo/Kevin Schlosser)"Winning state was the best feeling," says Kilgore. "Senior year, taking second was a bummer, especially after working so hard."
Dustin Kilgore also made a name for himself beyond the borders of the Buckeye state. He was a Junior Nationals champion, and placed third at the Senior Nationals.
In recounting his prep career, Kilgore is not one to reminisce about the past. "Going to college is a clean slate."
How Kilgore came to Kent
When asked how he chose Kent State University (located in Kent, Ohio, just east of Akron), Dustin Kilgore replies, "I didn't want to go too far from home. I'm close to my family. They try to come watch me wrestle as often as possible."
"It's a beautiful campus. I like the small-town atmosphere."
"We have really phenomenal coaches here. They really care."
"Coach Andrassy is really turning the program around. Everyone's putting a lot of work into the program to make us more successful."
"When you really look at it, it's your own decision, you have to go where you feel comfortable," Kilgore continues. "In terms of how much success you have, it comes down to how hard you're willing to work."
Jim Andrassy weighs in: "We contacted him. We visited him at home, and were impressed from that first meeting. We offered him a full ride right away."
"He's definitely a blue-chip recruit."
Beyond the mat
When Dustin Kilgore isn't on the mat or in the classroom, he enjoys being outdoors. "I love camping, hiking, hunting and fishing," says the Ohio native. "My dad introduced me to the outdoors."
"I welcome the escape from the feelings and pressures of life. It's an amazing feeling to get away." Kilgore also enjoys traveling, especially trips to Canada.
Back in the classroom, Kilgore is majoring in criminal justice at Kent State, with the possibility of a career in law enforcement, whether its local police work (perhaps as a member of a SWAT team), or maybe even serving in the FBI.
Dustin Kilgore is currently ranked No. 6 in the country at 184 pounds by RevWrestling.com (Photo/Kevin Schlosser)When asked if that means a possible career in coaching, Kilgore answers, "I enjoy helping others. I've always had great coaches who are willing to work with others, who want their wrestlers to succeed."
"They also stressed the importance of academics. Two of my high school coaches were also my teachers. They've also become my friends."
"That kind of attitude really helped me in my life, and I'm truly grateful for that."
Jim Andrassy sees a possible coaching career in Dustin Kilgore's future. "I'll do whatever it takes to keep him here after graduation. He brings so much to our wrestling program. He's valuable just for his work ethic alone."
Right now, Dustin Kilgore is focused on his on-the-mat career and his studies. He's modest about his collegiate wrestling achievements and goals, but enjoys freestyle ("It's a great help with my college wrestling," says Kilgore) and hopes to compete in national and world competition. His never-stop, back-to-basics wrestling style and solid work ethic should continue to make him one of the most talked-about college wrestlers in the nation.
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