State wrestling legend dies at 36
Buffalo Grove High School alumnus Lindsey Durlacher — one of the most decorated wrestlers in Illinois history — died Saturday morning in his Denver home at age 36.
Durlacher, who had been injured in a snowmobile accident in February, was at home recuperating from surgery on Wednesday, according to a news release from USA Wrestling. No further information was available late Saturday.
A Wrestling Coaches Hall of Famer, Durlacher — whose brother Dave is the coach of Buffalo Grove High School’s wrestling team — began his winning record at the high school level.
In 1992, Durlacher won the state wrestling championship for Buffalo Grove High. He had a 44-0-1 record and was named to the ASICS All-American First Team. He would go on to be a two-time All-American at the University of Illinois, placing second at the 1997 NCAA Championships and fourth at the 1996 NCAA Championships.
After college, Durlacher competed in wrestling championships all over the world.
At the 2006 World Championships in Guangzhou, China, he won the World Greco-Roman bronze medal for the 121-pound weight-class. In 2007, he took fifth place and helped the U.S. win its first World Team Title.
He was a silver medalist in 2003 and 2007 at the Pan American Championships.
Durlacher was a runner-up in the U.S. Open five times before taking first in 2006.
In addition to competing, Durlacher had a successful coaching career. In 2007, he was inducted into the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association Hall of Fame. He was an assistant coach for several Division I programs, including the University of Illinois, Northwestern University, Northern Illinois University and the U.S. Naval Academy.
His colleagues at the RiNo Sports Gallerie in Denver, where Durlacher coached over the last year, said that wrestling wasn’t just a sport to him.
“It was his dream … and a grand one at that,” Ryan and Caroline Tobin of RiNo Sports Galleri said in a statement released Saturday. “We remember him for the love and commitment he showed toward his family, friends and sport … Lindsey truly shared his compassion for others through his teaching the sport of wrestling.”
Dave Durlacher confirmed Lindsey’s death but declined further comment Saturday night.
Funeral arrangements are pending, but his family said that they will be held in the Chicago area.