Nick Dardanes was a Junior Nationals runner-up (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)Nick won the Illinois Class 3A state title at 130 pounds last season while compiling a record of 50-1. He was runner-up at Junior Nationals in freestyle this past summer. Nick is ranked as the No. 20 recruit in the country by InterMat. Chris is a two-time Illinois state placewinner, finishing fourth the past two seasons. He placed fourth at Junior Nationals in freestyle.
Nick and Chris took official visits to Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Ultimately, they decided on Minnesota because it was where they felt most comfortable.
"Jayson Ness, David Thron, Zach Sanders ... They all have the same mentality as us," said Nick. "They love being in the room. They love getting better ... whether it's drilling or doing some extra cardio. We just really like being around those guys."
Chris has always held the Minnesota wrestling program in high esteem.
"I really looked up to the Minnesota program growing up, especially with the three national titles they have won over the last nine years," said Chris. "I just really looked up to the program and J Robinson. I'm just excited that now I get to wrestle for a program and a coach that I have always looked up to."
Nick and Chris have been best friends and training partners since they were young.
"Sometimes things get heated in the wrestling room and fight each other a little bit," said Nick. "But we don't really fight outside the wrestling room anymore."
Nick weighs slightly more than Chris ... two or three pounds more. Chris competed in one weight class higher than Nick for the first two years of their high school careers, but last year Nick was a little heavier and wrestled one weight class higher. The two competed in the same weight class (130) at Junior Nationals in July.
Chris DardanesThe Dardanes twins started their high school careers at Fenwick High School, a private school in Oak Park, Illinois, before transferring to the city's public school, Oak Park-River Forest (OPRF), after their sophomore years.
"Fenwick was a private school and it was tough to keep my grades up," said Chris. "I just feel comfortable at Oak Park-River Forest. I'm getting my grades up and spending time with people that I enjoy being around."
Added Nick of Fenwick, "I just didn't want to be around guys who didn't really try to improve and do better in wrestling. Everyone really dreaded practice there."
Transferring to OPRF also allowed the Dardanes twins to wrestle for Mike Powell, a 1996 All-American at Indiana who has helped make Illinois a dominant Greco-Roman force on the cadet and junior levels.
"I have always worked with him in the offseason," said Nick. "I got to know him real well. He's a great motivator. His practices are awesome. You just want to be in the room every day and learn some new things from him."
Last season, Nick became Powell's first individual state champion at OPRF. The Dardanes twins also helped lead OPRF to its first team dual meet state wrestling title and a perfect 24-0 record.
The Dardanes twins join Dylan Ness as part of Minnesota's 2010 recruiting class. Ness, a two-time USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner who is ranked as the No. 16 recruit in the country by InterMat, gave a verbal commitment to the Gophers in October of 2008 during his junior year at Kennedy High School in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Minnesota is coming off two very strong recruiting years. InterMat tabbed Minnesota's 2008 recruiting class No. 1 and its 2009 recruiting class No. 2.
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