Broward Hall of Fame wrestling coach passes away. Local golfers qualify for U.S. Amateur
Broward County Wrestling Hall of Famer Dan Dussel, a longtime Coconut Creek High School wrestling coach and South Florida wrestling referee, passed away recently at his home in Margate.
Known for his signature beard, Dussel coached 15 years at Coconut Creek High School, which is also where he taught history for 34 years. His teams were very competitive with several standouts, including FHSAA State Champion Ed Rufus.
In 2003, Dussel was inducted into the Broward County Wrestling Hall of Fame.
(Information below via Dignity Memorial)
A Ohio native, Dussel was a standout student and class president at Maumee High School. He was co-captain of the wrestling team. After high school, he studied at Ohio State University and earned a master’s degree in Russian history at the University of Toledo.
Dussel then traveled abroad -- first to New Zealand and then England, Europe, Russia, and Australia. Landing in Sydney, he got a job working in construction on a high rise. He hitch-hiked west through the desert to Perth, where he panned for gold. From there he hiked the Himalayas and then lived in India for a short time.
Once home, he set his sites on furthering his education and attended the University of Missouri, earning his doctorate in Russian history.
Born March 16, 1950, Dussel died on Aug. 1 at age 75 at his home while working in his yard.
He is survived by his wife Linda Cooper, son Ryan (Nicole), 1st wife Phyllis, step-daughter Michelle, brother Jim, sister Nancy (Chuck), nieces Sarah (Clint), Jaymie, nephews Damian, Marshall, grandnieces Morgan, Levy, Tracy, Corey, grandnephews Logan, Riley, Devin, Tommy, Bobby, cousins Tom (Sherry), Terry, Carla (Howard), Lynn (Duane), Doug, Steve, brother-in-law Jay (Charlotte), sister-in-law Della (Ray), nieces Mia (Phillip), Maddie (Joe), nephews Greg (Angie), Michael (Alicia) and Josh (Fei).
Dussel is preceded in death by father James, mother Hazel and twin brother David.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a donation in his honor to a cause or charity of your choice.
Local golfers qualify
for U.S. Amateur Championship
Miami golfers Lorenzo Rodriguez and Nicholas Prieto qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Rodriguez, a 2025 Belen Jesuit graduate, and Prieto, a 2023 Florida Christian School graduate, tied for third at 5-under par during a qualifier at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Orlando.
Rodriguez will be a freshman golfer this season at NCAA Division I Wake Forest University, a member of the ACC in Winston Salem, North Carolina. He will join Prieto, who transferred from NCAA Division I Arizona State University. Each has won the Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship.
At the event at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, the Top 12 qualified for the amateur championship.
*Miramar’s Tommy Hurst also qualified for the prestigious tournament by tying for seventh at 3-under par. He is a 2011 graduate of Plantation American Heritage and 2015 graduate of Newberry College, where he played NCAA Division II golf for the university, based in Newberry, South Carolina. He was named All-SAC second team twice.
Hurst and Rodriguez also tied for second with Sunrise’s Elijah Zammaron at a qualifier prior at Dutchman’s Pipe Club in West Palm Beach. They shot 68. Will Bock of Plantation was fifth at 70.
*Miami’s Jake Beber-Frankel was an alternate, scoring 2-under par to tie for 13th. He is an alum of Miami Ransom Everglades High School and NCAA Division I Stanford University, where he competed collegiately and made the Pac-12 Academic Honor Roll multiple times.
*At a qualifier at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Miami’s Anthony Garcia won the qualifier with 68. A Miami LaSalle High School alum, he plays golf for NCAA Division II Barry University in Miami Shores. He made the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
*At a qualifier at The Eagle Pointe Golf Club in Mont Belvieu, Texas, Hans Risvaer of Miami tied for third with 68 to advance. A Miami Columbus alum, he is a golfer at NCAA Division I University of Central Florida in Orlando.
*Chasen Thuraisingham of Parkland tied for ninth with 72 at The Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor, New York.
Submit high school sports info
For high schools in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, if you have varsity results and top performers (with stats), email hssports@miamiherald.com.
They will run in the newspaper and online. Photos accepted, too. No deadline. Send after the game, the next day or weekly. You will be alerted when it will appear in the newspaper and online.
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Compiled by Jim Varsallone
jvarsallone@miamiherald.com
