A trip to North Dakota this summer turned into what will be many over the upcoming years for Kody Tanimoto.
The senior at All Saints Episcopal School in Fort Worth, he recently committed to wrestle at North Dakota State starting in 2024.
How rare is that? Well a deep dive in the history of North Dakota State wrestling shows a grand total of zero Texans have been on the roster dating back 40 years.
The Bison started recruiting Tanimoto this summer at Fargo. He finished second at 120 pounds in the Junior Roman-Greco division.
“Coach Ray (Bedford) and Coach Vinnie (Lowe) told me North Dakota State was interested in me and I was obviously very interested in them,” he said, referring to two of the Team Texas coaches this summer at the event. “After freestyle was done, I think there was a day or two before Greco and they had me come in for an unofficial visit. I really enjoyed it.”
He went back to Fargo in November for an official visit and that is when he committed to the program and Coach Benson Blanc.
Tanimoto said he had interest from Division II and NAIA schools but hadn’t taken any other visits.
“I would say North Dakota State was the main school I was talking to when I was through the process,” he said….