Dylan Blackford

Born September 16, 1994. Graduated from Southeast Polk High School in 2013, and graduated from Grand View University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Management. Now works as a Deputy Sheriff for the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.

Growing up Dylan loved anything that was a physical sport. Dylan played football his entire life, everything from fullback, to linebacker, to strong safety, and ended his high school career as a nosegaurd on the defensive line. Dylan was always a starter his whole life and ended his senior year as a letter winner and captain of his football team . Growing up Dylan also boxed at multiple boxing clubs, and competed at the Ringside nationals in Kansas City, Missouri. Growing up Dylan loved training with the fighters at the Des Moines Mixed Martial Arts Academy, and competed in many Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.

But the sport Dylan loved most in life was always wrestling. His entire wrestling career Dylan was always one of the very best in the nation. His accolades date back to his AAU days where he placed at the state tournament every year and never placing lower than 4th. Dylan was a multi time junior All-American; and his 8th grade year he even won an AAU world Championship. In High School Dylan was a 2X Conference Champion, 4X District Champion, and a 3X State place winner taking 4th as a freshman, 2nd as a Junior, and winning the 3A 170lbs State Championship as a senior. His senior year Dylan was also voted as 3A Mr. Wrestler of the Year. Outside of the regular wrestling season Dylan was a multi time High School All-American in both folkstyle and freestyle wrestling. A few accolades to note are earning All-American honors at folkstlye nationals, and All-American honors at Fargo (Freestyle) Nationals. Dylan also won the “Golden Corncob” at the Corncob national tournament, he was the 182lbs Northern Plains Regional champion, and voted the 2013 USA Wrestling Junior Wrestler of the year.

Dylan then followed his dream of competing at the collegiate level at Grand View University. At Grand View Dylan was part of 5 national Championship teams, and competed on 4 national dual championship teams. Dylan won multiple open tournaments in college one of the most notable being the highly respected NAIA Missouri Valley Invitational in 2017. Dylan was also a 2X All-American for Grand View University taking 7th and 5th in the nation for the Vikings. Dylan also qualified for a chance to compete at the World Team Trials after winning the Northern Plains Regional tournament in Greco Roman wrestling. Dylan ended his collegiate career with the Vikings in their 80% win club.

Dylan now enjoys his career working as a Deputy Sheriff, and still gets on the mat and competes in no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, winning the SubSpectrum summer open the past summer.