A three-time national qualifier, Danny Haws, pictured above left, has established himself as one of the most accomplished competitors in school history, proving that hard work and dedication pay off on the biggest stage. On Thursday, Feb. 12, The Cyclone Chronicle interviewed Haws about his expectations for the season and about his success through his wrestling career. 

When did you first start wrestling and what kept you committed to the sport?

I started wrestling when I was five years old. What kept me committed was my parents. They got me into the sport, introduced it to me, and the rest is pretty much history. 

What has been the biggest adjustment from high school wrestling to college wrestling? 

The biggest adjustment is the level of intensity that you bring into practice and competition. I feel like high school was a little more laid back to where college is a lot more high pace and a lot more aggressive. 

What does a typical in-season training week look like for you? 

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, we have a 2 p.m. practice. Tuesday and Thursdays, we have 6 a.m. practices and lifts. On Saturday, if we don't have competition, we have a morning practice at 7 a.m. We practice six days a week with one day off. 

How do you balance academics with the demands of being a college athlete? 

Time management is super important. If you don't have time management, you're going to be scrambling to get all, your work done and try to stay focused on things like practice. I think time management is super important. Because if you're scrambling around trying to figure stuff out and you don't really have a set schedule, then it just makes everything, including sports, just chaotic.

What are you studying and how does wrestling fit into your long-term goals?

I study communication and wrestling fits into my long-term goals.It just helps teach a lot about yourself if that makes sense. Wrestling taught me how to work hard, how to get through situations when times are tough, and self-discipline. I think that's gonna go a long way and that'll be because of wrestling. 

Who has had the biggest impact on you? 

Probably my parents like I said before. My dad initially introduced me to wrestling and my mom has always supported me through everything I've done. I think honestly I probably would not be wrestling if it wasn't for them. 

How do you handle losses or setbacks?

If I take a loss, I right away reflect on the loss, but I don't try to spend too much time on it. I try to just move past as fast as I can. Obviously, it's good to focus on losses and figure out what you did wrong, what you did right. But I just try to move as fast as I can and move on to the next thing. 

What has wrestling taught you outside of the sport? 

It's taught me a lot about respect and respecting others. And it's definitely taught me a lot about myself, too. Overall, throughout all the years I've been wrestling, it's definitely benefited me. 

Are you aiming for conference titles or nationals? 

Personally, I'm aiming for a national title. That's the biggest goal. That's the end goal. National title and all-American, that's my goal. And then I have short-term goals, such as regional champ and conference champ. 

You've qualified for nationals three years in a row. What has been the key to that consistency? 

The key word there is consistency and I think that's the biggest thing that has got me to three national tournaments. Obviously, I haven't finished the way I wanted to finish the past three years and that's obviously the end goal for me this year as it's my senior year and my last year. I think finishing is the biggest thing. Just coming in every day with a positive mindset and just being grateful for what I have is what I think has gotten me there every year.

What separates national level wrestlers from the rest of the field? 

Consistency, discipline, staying committed to what your goals, just being grateful for the things around you, and focusing on the things in front of you, and not focusing on the negatives.

When people look back at your career, what do you hope they say about you? 

A hardworking individual who chased his goals and chased his dreams. I'm personally going to look back and I'm going to be happy with myself, because like I said before, I wasn't even sure if I was going to wrestle in college. To be at where I am now, it's just a cool thing. And it's the journey of wrestling has just been amazing for me. 

End of season recap

Haws finished the 2025-2026 Season with a record of 27 wins and 11 losses. At Regionals, Haws finished second at 133 lbs. That qualified him for Nationals, where he won his opening match.

The Cyclone Chronicle thanks Student Athlete Danny Haws for doing this interview.