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Danny Striggow’s interception against Michigan State on Saturday was big on multiple levels.
The Gophers defensive end from Long Lake, Minn., dissected the Spartans’ screen pass and stuck out his left hand to made a pick that helped Minnesota pull away for its first Big Ten win, 34-7.
It further showed the U’s standard hasn’t slipped after uber-athletic rush end Boye Mafe was drafted in the second round by the Seattle Seahawks in April. Striggow leads the team with two sacks, plus has three hurries and five total tackles across four games.
The big play was also personal and served as a climax for a family reunion. Striggow made the play in front of about 45 family members and friends in East Lansing, Mich. His mother Michelle attended Michigan State; his father Jeff was a gymnast at Western Michigan; and his older brothers Jackson and Bobby have wrested at the University of Michigan.
“It was a bit of a house divided,” Striggow shared Tuesday.
But they obviously rally around their youngest son and brother. When Danny made the big play, “we were thrilled to death,” Jeff said.
The four Striggow kids attended Orono High School, and each left a mark. Jackson, Bobby and Danny all won state wrestling championships and were standouts on the football field. Hannah was an all-conference volleyball player who went on to play at Wisconsin-River Falls.
All four Striggows were involved in Orono’s teams within Special Olympics’ Unified Sports, which bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same squads..
www.twincities.com
The Gophers defensive end from Long Lake, Minn., dissected the Spartans’ screen pass and stuck out his left hand to made a pick that helped Minnesota pull away for its first Big Ten win, 34-7.
It further showed the U’s standard hasn’t slipped after uber-athletic rush end Boye Mafe was drafted in the second round by the Seattle Seahawks in April. Striggow leads the team with two sacks, plus has three hurries and five total tackles across four games.
The big play was also personal and served as a climax for a family reunion. Striggow made the play in front of about 45 family members and friends in East Lansing, Mich. His mother Michelle attended Michigan State; his father Jeff was a gymnast at Western Michigan; and his older brothers Jackson and Bobby have wrested at the University of Michigan.
“It was a bit of a house divided,” Striggow shared Tuesday.
But they obviously rally around their youngest son and brother. When Danny made the big play, “we were thrilled to death,” Jeff said.
The four Striggow kids attended Orono High School, and each left a mark. Jackson, Bobby and Danny all won state wrestling championships and were standouts on the football field. Hannah was an all-conference volleyball player who went on to play at Wisconsin-River Falls.
All four Striggows were involved in Orono’s teams within Special Olympics’ Unified Sports, which bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to compete on the same squads..

Gophers football: Danny Striggow blends toughness of wrestler with a volunteer’s compassion
The defensive end from Orono, Minn., also has put his wrestling background to good use.
