‘Surreal’ Moment As Manhattan Wrestler Wins Gold For Team USA

MANHATTAN, IL. — Will Denny was likely barely back stateside, when he had already started eyeing his next big goal.

The 18-year-old standout wrestler and Manhattan resident had just stepped onto the international stage at the U20 Pan-American Wrestling Championship—and won—but he doesn't rest for long, his family said.

Following up back-to-back IHSA Class 3A state title wins to close out his Marist High School career, Denny was selected to wrestle for Team USA in Lima, Peru July 11–12—an honor that many might consider reason for a breather. But not Will.

He won on Saturday. Landed back at his new collegiate home North Carolina State University on Sunday. And right back to work on Monday.

"... he is such a humble kid, and when he gets done with something and he's achieved his goal, he's proud of himself, but the sun rises the next day and off to practice he goes," said his mother Katie Bernard-Denny. "This is not a week of time to celebrate, time to have fun time. He's proud of himself, and hours later he's off practicing again or setting goals."

Wrestling at 74kg (163 pounds), his matches in Peru were a show of his strength and dominance—all gears firing as he took down Puerto Rico in the quarterfinals, Canada in the semis and El Salvador in the gold medal match. Denny's family watched from the crowd as, in a singlet with USA emblazoned across it, he circled the mat with the American flag fluttering behind him.

"It's almost surreal, quite honestly," said his father, Jon Denny. "To have someone that you've seen put in the amount of work he has get the results that he's getting from them—which are very lofty goals—to see him actually have that success, to do it at such a level. He's up at the top elite class. It's paying off in dividends tremendously.

"There's no way to describe watching your child in a USA singlet and an American flag behind them—there's no words really to describe that."

Jon thinks it might not have sunk in just yet for Denny, too.

"It means more to older people than it does probably to an 18-year-old kid," he said, "but to support your country and to be on a team for the United States of America—there's nothing better."

Speaking with him afterward, Denny seems as if he was unfazed by the lead-up to what undoubtedly was his most significant wrestling competition to date.

"My training leading up to it was a lot easier than normal," he said. "I was finally down here at NC State with some of the great partners, great coaches.

"It was the same as normal—just coming into practice every day with a little more intention on situations I knew I had to have mastered."

Unlike previous matches where he faced familiar or locally known foes, Denny didn't have an opportunity to study those he battled in Peru.

"This one, I didn’t know anything about anyone," he said.

Friends, family and supporters tuned in via livestream back in Illinois and from around the country, to watch their hometown hero step onto the mat against international opponents.

"If you had told me a couple of years ago that I’d be doing that, I probably wouldn’t have believed it," he sad. "I found joy in it that I was able to compete for my country, and step on the mat in a USA singlet, because not many people get to."

'It was all him'

Denny was introduced to wrestling at just 4 years old under the guidance of his uncle Bob Bernard, and for much of his childhood, was a dual-sport athlete: football and wrestling. When it wasn't one, it was the other, his parents said.

"I don't know if it truly was a passion at all," Jon said, reflecting on Denny's start in wrestling. "It's something you did after football season, to be honest. And he did it. ... I don't know if he actually loved it, but he did it. So really, you just put him in situations to compete, and he was always a competitor.

"He was good, you know, but he wasn't the best. And I don't think he ever really took it seriously, if I'm being honest. I think he liked football more."

He was still competing in both sports his freshman year at Marist High School, when his parents saw a fire lit under him.

"He went downstate, and he did not get on that podium—that's when he decided that he wasn't doing enough to get the results he was looking for," Jon said, "and at that point is when he chose to quit football. And he was going to devote his life to wrestling to become the best wrestler he could be."

Denny threw himself body and mind into wrestling.

"Will took it upon himself to go back to the basics and pretty much be coachable, to be humble with this sport. To understand that he did not know everything—he didn't even know how to wrestle, is how he felt about it."

He doubled or sometimes tripled-up on practices in a day, never missing a chance to master his body movement, build strength and conquer mindset.

"Once he got his license, he set his schedule," Jon said. "That was not anyone else's idea—that was his. It was all him."

A fierce work ethic and tight focus set Denny apart from other wrestlers, said Marist High School Wrestling Head Coach Brendan Heffernan.

"We’ve had plenty of wrestlers come through that have had elite talent," Heffernan said, "but most of the time, you see elite talent combined with ordinary or average work ethic. It’s one thing to have talent, but his work ethic is what’s gotten him to where he is right now."

Denny showed prowess, but also intention, he added. Out the door to Marist at 4 a.m., he often wasn't back until 8 p.m.

"There’s a purpose to every single thing that he’s doing," Heffernan said. "He’s singularly focused—really committed to what he’s doing. Great example of following through with what you say you’re going to do."

Even as he excelled and racked up wins, titles, and medals, Denny stayed grounded. Win, and get back to the grind.

"The very best wrestlers have that sense of humility," Heffernan said. "If they’re not getting better, not continuing to work, they know there’s somebody nipping at their heels. Once he accomplishes one thing, his mind goes to the next."

Heffernan was steering a youth wrestling clinic while Denny wrestled in Peru. The kids asked if they could watch the live-stream of the Marist wrestling program's four-time conference champ, and repeat State champ.

"They kept asking when he was going to wrestle," Heffernan said.

They tuned in to watch the former Redhawk grab gold.

"It was just really cool," Heffernan said. "I knew he’d have a great experience—being a part of USA wrestling, traveling to a different country—it’s something he’ll never forget."

Denny's time at Marist influenced his wrestling abilities, but also his faith. A member of Parkview Christian Church in New Lenox, he carries his faith with him out onto the mat.

"... that's a big part of why he wrestles—his faith in Jesus Christ," Jon said, "and he says a prayer before every match. That's a big deal."

He prays quietly, Bernard-Denny said, a mostly inward nod to a higher power. His commitment to his faith led to the creation of a Bible study group among the wrestling team, and he and Coach Ryan Egan set in place a team prayer.

"He started it with Coach Egan, and it grew very, very strong," Bernard-Denny said, "and then he got most of the Marist team that did it."

Denny's character has captured him support across the wrestling community, and especially with Marist teachers, faculty, and staff.

"... All the teachers at Marist—and anybody that you run into—says outside of him as an athlete, he's just truly a good kid," Bernard-Denny said. "He just genuinely cares about everybody, and is just a good kid. So I think that helps people cheer him on—because he is humble and he has fun with what he does, and people support his good character, too."

Some of his biggest fans, though, are always back home. The youngest of three, Denny's older siblings Luke, 22, and Lexi, 20, rally around him whenever possible, even making the trip to Peru. The three are very close, and Denny's uncle Dan Bernard said he thinks the older siblings have played a big role in his pursuit of greatness.

Both Providence Catholic High School graduates, Luke and Lexi both excelled in their own pursuits: basketball for Luke, competitive dance for Lexi. Luke, Bernard said, was always the first at the gym. Lexi would spend 10-12 hours at a time honing her craft.

"Those two worked so hard at their sports and activities," Bernard said, "and they’re a huge part of his success. Those two are so supportive of him and celebrate his success with him."

Bernard, though, says he's Denny's self-proclaimed biggest fan. He and Denny's family—aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins—made the drive to Champaign to support him during IHSA state tournaments.

The wrestling community as a whole, Jon said, fosters a sense of support, growth and development unlike anything he's seen.

"You've got to know that there's just a lot of good individuals with good character that are just trying to make better people," Jon said.

Having seen Denny matriculate through youth wrestling organizations like Celtic Wrestling Club and Victory Elite, the family encountered good people every step of the way.

"There's just a lot of good people that I think have big hearts," Jon said, "and most of the wrestlers you find out are guys that went through it, and they're all just giving back. There's not too many of them that are just getting paid a ton of money to do this stuff. They're all volunteering because they love the sport. I love the sport, and I didn't do it growing up. It's a wonderful sport."

'It's where he needs to be'

Denny is now readying for his freshman season on the NC State wrestling team. A 14-hour drive from home, it's an adjustment for the tight-knit family.

But they're all focusing on what's in front of him. Full throttle back into training, Denny said the Peru trip has given him renewed passion for improvement.

"I definitely feel like it’s back to reevaluating what I have to do," he said. "I know that I have the greatest coaches on my side. They know me, just as well as I know myself. They have a great vision, and know what I need to work on."

At the heart of his pursuit, is something Jon often said to him early on.

"When he was at home I'd tell him, 'Just let me know if you're not having fun anymore,'" Jon said. "That's all I really care about. If you're not having fun, then we're not doing it for the right reasons."

On a visit prior to his commitment to the Raleigh school, Denny told his parents that he found in the coaching staff the type of mentorship he'd thrived under at Marist, with Heffernan and Egan.

Even as Denny—albeit briefly—celebrated his Peru win, he acknowledged the role Egan has played in his success.

"I wish he was able to be there!" Denny said. "I'm so grateful for coaches Egan, Heffernan and Marist wrestling."

Bernard-Denny knows that at NC State, he'll thrive feeling secure, safe, and guided.

"If he's in a comfortable setting, Will will achieve what he wants to achieve," she said. "He stays in a good mind space when he knows people care, and are trying to make him the best he can be. What I think? He can achieve anything if he puts his mind to it. It's a tough sport, if your mind's not straight.

"I think he can do anything. And he's not doing it to prove to anybody else, he's doing it because he truly loves it."

NC State Wrestling Head Coach Pat Popolizio sees something special in Denny, and his family.

"Coming from a really good family, you know you have a class-act kid," Popolizio said. "I think that stuff’s really important. The commitment that he has, and his work ethic—I think those things mirror very well for success."

He watched via livestream as Denny competed in Peru.

"That tournament is sometimes hit or miss with the level of competition you get," he said. "When he got that opportunity, it was a no-brainer to wrestle in that. This was a great reward for someone who has worked his tail off his whole senior year.

"When you get invited to a team like that, it just shows what the rest of the country thinks of him."

As the season nears, Popolizio turns his focus to getting his youngest team members adjusted to college.

"You’re away from your parents and families and all your friends," he said. "I don’t care what everyone says—it’s always an adjustment for everyone."

He'll make sure Denny wards off homesickness, is happy and comfortable.

They've already gotten to work on building his skills and strength to be competitive at the college level.

"He’s coming in with a really good base," he said. "We just want to add to what he’s really good at. We've got a really talented team. I think he’s going to excel really fast at the college level. He’s got the perfect mindset to be successful as a college wrestler."

Denny has already found a church he finds welcoming, and continues to stay anchored by his faith.

The Manhattan house has grown quieter without him—and the laundry loads have lightened, Bernard-Denny jokes—but both parents take comfort in the joy he's already finding there.

"We miss him being here," Jon said. "It's where he needs to be, and being a parent I couldn't ask for anything more than that. I think he's in a perfect spot."

They call and FaceTime everyday, but they can tell that "he absolutely loves it," Bernard-Denny said.

"... Being around those coaches, and his teammates, they truly are like a family out there, that sending him 14 hours away doesn't seem as hard because he loves it. I'm sure he misses us ... But I think he feels so much at home out there, he told us, 'this is where I'm meant to be.'"

His season starts in early November, spanning until March. How many home matches will his parents make?

"All of 'em," Jon said, firmly.

"I promised him that hopefully both of us, but if something happens if one can't make it, at least one of us would be at every single match," Bernard-Denny said.

"That's the least you can do as a parent, in my eyes," Jon said. "He's put in the work to make himself this. Us as parents have to do our side of the job, which is attend."

Both can't wait to see what's ahead for him.

"I've seen what the kid's done," Jon said. "I see the disappointment he has when he doesn't achieve the top of the podium or whatever he sets his mind to.

"I think he can attain anything, quite honestly. I just want to make sure he's happy."