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The results this season for Dahl, a 141-pound sophomore, are by no means disappointing. He’s 8-5, third on the team in wins behind All-Americans Dan Laurent and Josh Zabel, and leads the Eagles with five pins.
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UW-La Crosse wrestler Alex Dahl, front, works out with teammate Ryan Farwell.
Erik Daily |
Dahl considers it an OK start to his UW-L career, nothing more.
“I’m right there with anybody, I can hang with them, but there’s a lot of work that’s got to be done before I get to where I want to be,” Dahl said.
Dahl graduated from Cashton High School in 2007 as one of the best wrestlers in Coulee Region history. He won back-to-back WIAA Division 3 state titles in 2006-07, including a perfect
51-0 record at 125 pounds a junior and went 40-3 at 130 as a senior. He finished his four-year career with a 171-16 record.
“It was a lot of fun, looking back,” Dahl said.
Dahl wanted to get away from home after high school and wrestled for UW-Whitewater as a freshman. He was a backup 133-pounder and went 12-4 while competing in three open tournaments.
But he said the Warhawk program never felt like the right fit for him, and he took another look at UW-L, which had recruited him in high school.
“We were disappointed he didn’t come here, but we wished him the best of luck and he ended up transferring,” Malecek said. “He’s a great kid, he’s quiet, and he’s starting to come into his own. It’s going to take some time but by the end, he’s going to be where we need him to be.”
Even after making his decision to wrestle closer to home at UW-L, it took most of the preseason for Dahl to fully commit to the sport again.
“When I first came here, I didn’t know if I was going to wrestle,” Dahl said. “I floated around and was the third, fourth and fifth guy (at 141), and then I decided I wanted to do it, that I wanted to work hard.”
Dahl said the enthusiasm of his teammates prompted him to flip the mental switch in practice.
Once that happened, he quickly moved to the top of the depth chart.
“The guys push you along and you want to do the same thing,” Dahl said.
Malecek knew Dahl wasn’t putting everything he had on the line early in the preseason. When that changed, Malecek saw the makings of a good college wrestler.
“He didn’t have a great first month,” Malecek said. “Then he won some big matches and his confidence has increased. That’s a key for him. You can see the talent there, and he is a smart wrestler. He knows the score, he knows his opponent, and he’s a student of the sport.”
Dahl frowned at the mention of his 8-5 record. Two of those losses were to NCAA Division I opponents and two were to the No. 1-ranked 141-pounder in the NAIA.
“That’s why I like him,” Malecek said. “He wants to win all of them. We prepare hard, and you should expect to win every time on the mat. It doesn’t always work that way, but that’s how we train.”
Dahl also understands it will take time to build himself into a champion wrestler again.
“I’d like to win a lot of matches, and everybody wants a (national) title,” Dahl said. “That is a goal.”
