Dec. 9, 2004

Last season, the years of grueling practices and strenuous competitions paid off for Illini wrestler Brian Glynn. The 184-pounder became an All-American, after finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis--especially gratifying in his third trip to the event. Coaches and family members alike credit his work ethic as the sole reason for his accomplishments to date.

His high school coach at Providence Catholic, former Illini Keith Healy, remembers a tenacious individual who gave his all in practice. Healy encouraged Glynn to wrestle and play football in high school.

"I think the more you do, the more balanced you are," Healy said. "He's a very well-rounded individual."

Healy knows the pressure on Glynn was great in high school, but did not hesitate to push him.

"I put a lot of trust in him as a freshman when I put him in the state duals, in a big situation. That's when he really stepped up and I kind of knew that he was going to be a person that's really reliable. It started out way back when (his freshman year)."

"Way back when," Glynn was not only a standout on his high school wrestling team, but also an all-state strong safety on the 1998 state championship football team. His family watched him compete and excel in both sports since he was six years old. When Glynn made the final decision to wrestle in college, Denise Glynn had no doubt that her son would make great strides in the sport. Her confidence in his abilities however does not cure the nervous feeling she gets during his matches.

"I don't even like to watch. When he's done this year, I'm going to go back and watch all of his tapes, because I don't really watch while he's wrestling. I will peek through my fingers, like you do during a scary movie."

She credits the environment at Illinois for pushing Glynn further throughout his college career.

"He is pretty dedicated in almost everything he does, but I think the coaching staff at Illinois has really helped him become more focused and dedicated. He's a self-motivator."

Fighting Illini assistant wrestling coach Jim Heffernan claims that the only one who really deserves credit is Glynn himself.

"Brian has very strong work habits. He understands how to push himself in practice, and is someone who gets the most out of his daily workouts. He gets so much out of himself and is very consistent."

Heffernan also had no doubts that Glynn would accomplish greatness in his career at Illinois. From the very beginning he saw the makings of a tremendous athlete.

"In high school, I saw a lot of qualities in him that I thought would make him successful. He had good work habits, and was extremely tough. He has always worked hard. Plus, right away as a freshman he showed the willingness to make the extra effort to succeed."

That willingness may have been brought on by a new dedication Glynn had invested into wrestling. He was no longer an athlete dividing himself between two of the toughest seasons in sports. If he was to find glory in a collegiate career, it would be through wrestling, and he has already proved that his decision to wrestle at Illinois was the right one.

Glynn explains that physical limitations influenced his decision to choose a wrestling career over a football career.

"I was too short to play college football, and I really wanted to compete at a Division I level, and that narrowed it down to wrestling. Also, my senior year of high school is when I really started becoming good. In the long run it was a better decision to choose wrestling over football."

According to Glynn, his high school and college coaches are right. He has developed a great work ethic in practice, because he knows it is the only way he will achieve his goals.

"You have to go hard in practice. If you don't go hard in practice, you're not going to go hard in competition. I try to push myself hard everyday, and push myself to the limit so that when competition comes I know where I need to be."

It is evident that Glynn applies the same effort to his studies as well. The senior plans to graduate with a double major in economics and speech communication, with an above-average GPA.

"It is a two point...we'll round up to a 2.9," he said. "It's a 2.8-something."

He knows how to apply himself in the classroom, but he doesn't like to over analyze things when he is on the mat.

"I try not to think too much while I'm out there. The more I think, the more I get in trouble. I just try to listen to the coaches as much as possible."

He may not be peeking through his fingers during a tough match, but his nerves do kick in before he competes.

"I still get nervous before every match, no matter who I'm wrestling. If I don't get nervous, then something's wrong. But as soon as the whistle blows out there, it all disappears."

Although his career is marked by success, Glynn believes there is much more to achieve.

"I think as a team and individually we will see our greatest accomplishments this year."

That should be good news to Denise Glynn, whose days of cheering for her son in orange and blue are numbered. Glynn names his mom as his biggest fan, and even Coach Heffernan agrees.

"He is a mommy's boy for sure."