Daniel Herrera won 2 CIF state wrestling titles at Palm Desert; now he's an Iowa state champ too

After consecutive CIF State heavyweight wrestling titles as a sophomore and junior, Daniel Herrera turned a lot of heads last year when he decided to leave Palm Desert High School and move to Ames, Iowa, for his senior year of high school.

Herrera had committed to Iowa State University to play football and wrestle, and there was a strong belief that wrestling in Iowa, against a more competitive group of heavyweights, would better prepare him to wrestle in college.

But this winter, it was business as usual for Herrera, who on Saturday completed his high school career with a perfect record of 87-0 and an Iowa 3A state wrestling heavyweight championship.

“To me, that was important,” said Herrera about finishing his career unbeaten. “But the way I got there I didn’t think about it much. Every match I was 0-0.”

Herrera’s latest championship comes as several of his former teammates at Palm Desert High are seeking CIF State titles this weekend at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield. The CIF State meet runs from Thursday to Saturday, with the Finals on Saturday at 6:15 p.m.

Herrera, 18, said that he plans to watch the live stream online from Iowa, as he has with other Palm Desert meets this season. He said that he’s stayed in close contact with his former wrestling teammates who have been a source of positivity and encouragement as he’s adjusted to living without his family in the Midwest.

“I love watching them,” Herrera said of the Aztecs. “It blew me away seeing how good they’ve been this season.”

Herrera said that this season in Iowa has been more challenging for him, both on and off the mat. He had to adjust to living on his own, in the cold of Iowa (“The weather here is crazy,” he says) and without his closest friends. He also had to adjust to more challenging competition, which consisted of heavyweights who have made wrestling their main sport (unlike heavyweights in California, he says).

“The heavyweights here in Iowa take wrestling more seriously,” said Herrera, who finished this season 18-0. “They weren’t just football players who were big and decided to wrestle. It made it a little bit more challenging.”

Herrera said that there are two big differences between his experience living in California and living in Iowa. First, the weather, obviously, and how friendly the people have been. He said that while it’s taken some time to get used to the difference between the two places, he’s now comfortable in his new surroundings.

Herrera said that his parents and siblings have visited him in Iowa and that he talks to his sister over the phone every day. He said that has been important for him as he navigates this part of his life. He said that it’s nice to have someone to talk to whenever he needs it.

When family members visit, he said, he’s tried to block out his schedule to spend as much time as possible with them.

“It’s pretty hard moving away from your family,” Herrera said. “So, when they’re here, it’s nice and I spend as much time with them as I can.”

Next up for Herrera is training for the world team trials in June. He said by then he should know the next steps beyond that, which should include enrolling at Iowa State.

Herrera said that he remains committed to wrestling for Iowa State and that football could still be part of his plans despite him not playing the sport last fall as a senior.

While the change of scenery has been an adjustment, Herrera said that he’s looking forward to the next few years living, studying and playing collegiate sports in Iowa.

“I love it here,” Herrera said. “I can’t see myself anywhere else.”

Andrew John covers sports in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Desert native Daniel Herrera wins Iowa state wrestling title