Tate Orndorff, U-Hi’s defending state champ, will follow in father’s footsteps to OSU

Sometimes the youngest in a herd of sizeable siblings turns out to be the best athlete.

University senior Tate Orndorff has the big-bone build of his father, Dave, who was a two-sport standout in football and wrestling like his son. After two years at a junior college and a two-year mission with the LDS church, dad went on to be an All-American in wrestling, placing second in the NCAA tournament at heavyweight his senior year at Oregon State University.

U-Hi coach Don Owen needed an upper weights coach when he asked Orndorff to be an assistant coach 15 years ago. It’s been a multiple win situation for Owen, who has enjoyed coaching and watching Orndorff’s four boys grow up before his eyes.

Tegan, the second oldest, earned the first state medal when he placed seventh. Tanner, the third oldest, captured the first state championship.

Tate, whose baby face belies his age, matched that state title last year, going 38-0 – the first U-Hi junior to go undefeated. He’s heavily favored to repeat this winter.

Orndorff weighed scholarship offers from Iowa State, Minnesota and OSU before deciding to follow his dad to Corvallis, Oregon.

“That had a lot of influence on it,” Tate said. “I love their coaches. I’ve known (OSU assistant coach) Kevin Roberts (a U-Hi grad) most of my life. He recruited me hard. He called me every day when he could. He really wanted someone from U-Hi.”

Tate relishes the idea of following in his dad’s footsteps at OSU – at least on the mat. His father also played football there, and had a tryout with the New Orleans Saints. He was an All-Pac-10 selection in football in addition to being an All-American in wrestling.

Tate’s uncle, Matt, head coach at Lewis and Clark, also wrestled at OSU.

If Tate were two inches taller there’s no doubt he’d have had an even more difficult decision about college. He was a three-year starter in football, and was a first-team All-Greater Spokane League pick at center last fall.

“If he were 6-foot-4, he would have been recruited by everybody in football,” Dave said.

Had that been the case, Tate probably still would have ultimately chosen wrestling, though.

How about playing two sports like dad?

“Tate’s better than I was in football and he loves it more than I did,” Dave said. “I’m glad he’s wrestling. You can’t do two sports, like wrestling and football, at the NCAA Division I level today like you could when I was in school.”

Tate’s goal is to do what his dad fell just short of doing at OSU – win an NCAA title.

Before he heads to Corvallis, though, he will do a two-year mission as did his brothers and dad before him.

“I attribute a lot of my success in wrestling to church,” Tate said. “Church is a huge part of my life – how I direct my life. It’s just the right way to live, that’s how I feel. It makes me a better person.”

Orndorff tips the scales at 265 pounds, 20 pounds shy of the limit at heavyweight. He’s up 30 pounds from a year ago.

“He’s mostly solid muscle and bone,” Owen said. “He’s growing into his body. I think he’s still growing. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’s about 300 pounds by the time he’s done with his mission.”

Owen credits the olders siblings for blazing the trail for Tate.

“It does help when you have older siblings laying the gauntlet down for what you have to do,” Owen said.

Tate picked up the gauntlet and will leave U-Hi as the most successful Orndorff.

“I appreciate how mature he is,” Owen said. “He’s like having another coach in the room. He has more courage than any wrestler I’ve had. You can’t be afraid to compete no matter the outcome.”

More than anything, though, Owen said Orndorff’s character on and off the mat is what he wants in his program.

Orndorff is amazed with how far he’s come in the sport considering he won just one match in seventh grade.

He turned that around in a hurry.

“I hate to lose – ask my friends,” Orndorff said.

Two years ago, Tanner had to win his match in the final to clinch a state title for U-Hi. Last year, Tate had to get a pin for the Titans to place fourth and earn a trophy.

Dave had a brief chat with Tate before the final with some fatherly advice.

“I just wanted to tell him that if he got a chance at a pin to go for it,” Dave said. “He told me he knew what he had to do.”

Son needed just 1 minute, 52 seconds to finish the match.

Tate performs at a state title-level in the classroom, too, where he carries a 3.97 grade-point average.

Unlike last year, Orndorff has a loss this season. He went to a prestigious tournament in Ohio last month hoping to go up against the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the nation. That wrestler ended up skipping the tourney, though.

Orndorff, ranked third at the time by Intermat, instead ran into the second-ranked heavyweight in the final. Orndorff was in control, winning 3-2, when he tried for a throw. Instead, Orndorff missed and his opponent stuck him.

“I tried a throw and lost my grip,” he said. “He put me on the mat pretty hard. Or I should say I put myself on the mat pretty hard.”

He has a simple goal for the remainder of the season.

“I just want to win out and get better,” he said.

Owen sees that happening.

“You won’t find a heavyweight that works harder or has an energy level like he has,” Owen said.