For any young wrestler growing up in Minnesota, it is more than likely a dream to one day strap on the iconic Maroon & Gold singlet. For Bailee O’Reilly, that dream became a reality. After winning two state titles, O’Reilly found himself on campus just an hour up the road from his hometown of Goodhue, Minnesota. Two years of sitting behind All-American Devin Skatzka, and Bailee finally made his breakthrough into the starting lineup at 165 pounds.
Now, after a successful first season as a Division-1 starter, the redshirt junior is looking to use his experience to fill another role as a much-needed leader for this young Gophers core. Hear from Bailee O’Reilly as he reflects on his experience of fulfilling a lifetime dream, where his focus is going into next season, and more.
First of all, how’s your summer been since school ended?
O’Reilly: “Mid-June is when we found out that we were able to start training again, so I went back up to Minneapolis at the beginning of the summer, eased into training with some lifting and getting back on the mats. Other than that, I stayed at a cabin with my girlfriend for 4th of July. I live on a farm back home too, so when I’m back home, I’m helping out in the fields and stuff like that.” Continue reading at gophersports.com