Zinkin perfect after redshirt season

February 18, 1994
Originally published by The Daily Collegian (Fresno State)

The FSU wrestling program has had some great traditions over the years, but none as strong as the Zinkins.

How do you start? There’s the eldest, Harold, who gained All-American honors in his Bulldog career and is now an assistant coach for the ’Dog grapplers. Then there’s freshman Nick, the youngest who starts at 126 pounds for the Bulldogs.

Head coach Dennis DeLiddo gets into the act by being the uncle. And don’t forget junior DeWayne, who is a 134-pounder having a breakthrough season.

The Zinkins’ wrestling success, made possible by hard work and determination, is partly the reason De Wayne appears headed for glory in the NCAA tournament with a 25-0 record this season.

The fact that Zinkin has put together such a great season after having to redshirt the previous year, makes it all the more surprising.

Last year’s Bulldog team was the best in school history and all DeWayne could do was watch.

This year, however, he’s having the best individual season in school history.

"It was tough to sit out and watch the team have a great season," Zinkin said. "But I think in the long run it turned out to be the best thing I could have done."

Zinkin was asked to redshirt because his older brother Harold was penciled in at his natural 134-pound spot and the 126-pound class would have been too tough to attain.

In sitting out last season, however, he made a commitment to becoming a better wrestler and a more complete one.

"You have to practice with just as much intensity (when you redshirt), otherwise the year won’t mean anything," Zinkin said, adding that his brother taught him some of his most important lessons during his redshirt year.

"I made it a priority to do hours of drilling and wrestling every day," Zinkin said.

DeLiddo said Zinkin’s desire to improve dramatically during the off-season was a big selling point to the Bulldog brass.

"He always had great natural ability. He just had never worked real hard at improving himself until this past year," DeLiddo said. "He hit the weights hard last summer and definitely was fired up to have a big season."

The big hint that turned around Zinkin’s career around was his new-found reputation as always being the last wrestler to leave practice each day, and being pushed by Terry Watts and Gerry Abas, both seasoned grapplers.

"I want to lead by example and the only way you can do that is to go out and prove yourself when the time comes to compete," Zinkin said.

Zinkin did everything possible to improve, and now he is reaping the rewards: an unbeaten 25-0 season, ranked fourth in his 134-pound weight class, 12-0 in season dual meets, and only the second Bulldog ever to win the Las Vegas Invitational Tournament.

The Las Vegas meet is the most prestigious wrestling tournament in the country, and it is only fitting that brother Harold was the first FSU grappler to take an individual title in the meet.

"Seeing his brother wrestle so well and place at the NCAA’s last year probably provided the spark for him, because he saw what hard work had gotten Harold," DeLiddo said.

While Zinkin has nor dominated many opponents this year because of his constant battle with injuries, he has done what it takes to win.

He was not ranked coming into this season, but has steadily moved his way up, going from virtually unheard-of to being a national title contender.

Zinkin has certainly made each match interesting. Of his 25 wins on the season, seven have been come from behind victories in the last 20 seconds or overtime. He has not pinned any opponent all year.

With the bond the Zinkin brothers share in wrestling, some of the biggest rivalries have been their own.

Zinkin said the brothers try not to wrestle each other much at practice anymore "because we’d go at it all the time growing up and we’d always end up in fights," he said with a laugh.

DeLiddo echoed that hard work, not just talent, has gotten the Zinkins to where they are today.

"None of them were big time recruits coming out of high school, except for Nick," DeLiddo said. "They have had to work hard to be among the nation’s best."

"DeWayne got confidence in himself by watching his brother (Harold) accomplish so much last season, and he took it upon himself to put in the extra work to get where he is now. He’s a great example to his brother Nick," DeLiddo added.