It was the last college visit for Dundee-Crown’s Christian Brunner and it was the one that stuck.
The Chargers’ 195-pound senior and his father had visited Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Old Dominion and Maryland before turning their car in the direction of West Lafayette, Ind.
And once the two-time state medalist saw the campus and met the coaching staff at Purdue, he knew it was the place for him.
“It was the program, the mentality, and the culture there that I knew I wanted to be a part of,” Brunner said.
Brunner committed to wrestle for Purdue roughly six weeks ago, and Dundee-Crown coach Tim Hayes believes his senior could pack up his things and head there right now.
“He’s definitely college-ready. He’s ready to compete at that Big Ten level,” Hayes said. “He’s just a bully of a kind of guy, he knows what he needs to do to win, and he sticks to that game plan.”
Purdue is in his family’s blood. Brunner’s uncle Frank Kmet helped Hersey win a state title in 1987 before becoming a defensive lineman at Purdue, and another uncle, Jeff Zgonina, played at Carmel before joining Kmet on the Boilermakers’ defensive line.
Zgonina then played 17 seasons in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams in 2000. Neither uncle put any pressure on Brunner to attend Purdue.
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“They were going to be supportive wherever I went,” Brunner said. “The family (legacy) had something to do with it, the coaches had a lot to do with it, and the education — Purdue has a lot to offer me. I want to major in biology, either veterinary medicine or wildlife management.”
Brunner enters his senior year with a 114-21 record and is ranked among the nation’s top 20 wrestlers at 195 by Intermat, Flowrestling and WIN Magazine.
In each of the last two state tournaments, it took a pair of state champions to keep Brunner from the state title he covets. He lost in the 182-pound final as a sophomore to Deerfield’s Colton Emmerich and last year he lost his semifinal match at 195 to East Aurora’s Tim Young.
“Winning the state title is the goal,” Brunner said. “I don’t dwell on the last two years, but not winning it last year definitely lit a fire under me. I want to get it done this year.”
Brunner wrestled at Overtime School of Wrestling in Naperville over the summer. He’s always been an outstanding mat wrestler and he worked to enhance his style during the offseason.
Hayes, the Chargers’ first-year coach, wrestled on the 2004 Dundee-Crown team that went undefeated in dual meets before losing to Providence in a state semifinal. He inherits a young team at his alma mater and Hayes is happy to have someone like Brunner in his practice room.
“It’s helpful for them to see how hard he works after everything he has achieved at the state level,” Hayes said.
“He’s very vocal but he’s also the one leading stretches. He’s always working hard in the room and leads by example. He works hard and doesn’t take any break, Everything is a hundred percent.”
Top 5 teams
1. Jacobs: The Golden Eagles return a 40-plus match winner in Chris Dranka (132) and 30-plus match winners in Beau Harrier (113), Dean Lane (145), Michael Bujacz (182) and David Dudych (126). This balanced team reached a dual-team sectional last year despite failing to advance any of nine sectional qualifiers downstate.
2. St. Charles East: Senior Anthony Rubino returns after going 46-9 and placing fifth in Class 3A at 126 last season. The Saints also return individual sectional qualifiers in junior Joe Ruffino (106), sophomore Niko Derain (120), and senior DJ McDermott, who won 34 matches at 132 pounds last season.
3. Huntley: The Red Raiders return state qualifiers Zach Spencer (113) and Josh Stenger (120). Also back is and stable of 20-plus match winners in Juan Quiroz (138), Brad Zbilski (152), Petros Mihalopoulos (195), and Dominic Swanson (285).
4. Hampshire: First-year coach Brian Iossi is counting on a 30-match winner in senior Wylie Allen (152) to help lead the Class 2A Whip-Purs, along with 20-plus match winners in Casey Allen (132), Josh Bybee (145), Max McGowan (160) and Jake Oury (152).
5. Burlington Central: Sophomore state qualifier Austin Macias returns after winning 41 matches at 106 last season and finishing just shy of medaling downstate. The Rockets also return a sectional qualifier and 20-plus match winner in senior Ray Rushing (138).
Top 20 wrestlers, in alphabetical order
Casey Allen, Hampshire, sophomore, 132; Wylie Allen, Hampshire, senior, 152; 126; Christian Brunner, Dundee-Crown, senior, 195; Michael Bujacz, Jacobs, senior, 182; Josh Bybee, Hampshire, senior, 145; Zack Crosby, South Elgin, senior, 182; Niko Derain, St. Charles East, sophomore, 120; Chris Dranka, Jacobs, senior 132; Beau Harrier, Jacobs, junior, 113; Austin Macias, Burlington Central, sophomore, 106; DJ McDermott, St. Charles East, senior 132; Kolbe O’Brien, junior, St. Charles North 106; Mikey Perez, South Elgin, senior, 132; Anthony Rubino, St. Charles East, senior, 126; Joe Ruffino, St. Charles East, junior, 106; Ray Rushing, Burlington Central, senior, 138; Zach Spencer, Huntley, sophomore, 113; Josh Stenger, Huntley, junior, 120; Izzy Villarreal, South Elgin, senior, 106; Sunny You, Streamwood, senior, 126