The African American Wrestling Experience

The Emancipation Proclamation in 1862 was the first step toward freeing the slaves in America. Although the resulting 13^th Amendment meant that former slaves suddenly did not have to answer to any master, it did not mean the end of oppression. Many years would pass before African Americans would be afforded the full freedoms taken for granted by most white Americans, including the right to participate in organized sports.

            In some disciplines, by the turn of the century, African Americans did find sports success. Jockey Jimmy Winkfield won the 1902 Kentucky Derby in an era when black jockeys dominated the sport. In 1908, John Baxter “Doc” Taylor of the University of Pennsylvania was the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal as a member of the 4 x 400 medley during the London Games. But in the sport of wrestling, another 80 years would pass before a black athlete stood atop the podium in Seoul with the gleaming gold medal around his neck.

            While African Americans were winning track gold medals, boxing to world championships and forming baseball’s Negro National League, black youngsters were denied the opportunity to learn even the basics of wrestling because of restrictions placed on them by state high school associations. It wasn’t until 1949, 13 years after Jessie Owens flouted Adolph Hitler’s theories of racial superiority, winning four gold medals in the Berlin Olympics, that a black athlete is known to have wrestled in the NCAA championships. Harold Hanson, representing San Diego State, lost his only match, 7-3, to Don Meeker of Oklahoma State in the 136-pound quarter-final. At the time, Jackie Robinson had already been playing for the major league’s Brooklyn Dodgers for two years.

            By the early 1950s, blacks were allowed to participate in high school wrestling in most northern states. In 1954, the same year that Brown v. Board of Education overturned legal school segregation, Davenport’s Simon Roberts became the first African American to win an Iowa high school championship, defeating Ron Gray of Eagle Grove, a two-time defending state champion, to win the title. Roberts matriculated to the University of Iowa in the fall of 1954 and a year later, as Rosa Parks quietly started a movement by refusing to change seats on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, he earned a starting spot on the Hawkeye wrestling team. He finished third in the Big Ten and reached the quarter-finals of the NCAA tournament before being eliminated. The following year, 1957, Roberts won the 147-pound title over former high school nemesis Gray, who was wrestling for Iowa State, 2-2, 2-0. As he returned for his final year of collegiate wrestling, Congress passed the Voting Rights Bill of 1957, the first major civil rights legislation in more than 75 years. Roberts won the Big Ten title as a senior, but was upset in an early round at the NCAA tournament, failing to place and ending his ground-breaking wrestling career as the first African American to win Iowa high school, Big Ten and NCAA titles.

            In 1959, the unique musical style of Detroit, Michigan, was solidified with the founding of Motown Records. That same year, Art Baker of Syracuse defeated Michigan State’s Tim Woodin in the 191-pound final to become the second African American to win an NCAA wrestling title. His pioneering feats included being the first black to win Pennsylvania high school and EIWA championships. A starting halfback on Syracuse’s 1959 national champion football team, he chose to focus solely on football after winning his NCAA title as a sophomore.

            His fellow Syracuse running back, Ernie Davis made history in 1962 as the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. During wrestling season earlier that year, the nation’s most successful collegiate wrestling program welcomed its first black competitor. Powerfully built Chicago native Joe James was the first African American to wrestle for Oklahoma State, winner to that point of 20 NCAA team titles. James lost a narrow 2-1 decision to Wayne Baughman of Oklahoma in the 1962 NCAA finals at 191 pounds. The next season, he moved up to heavyweight. When he faced and defeated Eddie McQuarters of Oklahoma, it marked the first time that two African American athletes met in the intra-state rivalry Bedlam dual. After becoming the first black to win a Big Eight title, James was favored to win the 1963 NCAA heavyweight title at Kent State, however, he lost a split referees’ decision to Larry Kristoff of SIU-Carbondale in the semi-finals. Another Syracuse football player, Jim Nance, beat Kristoff in the finals to become the third African American NCAA champion and the first to win the heavyweight title. Another black wrestler, Bobby Douglas, whose influence on the sport would stretch into the next four decades, finished second at 130 pounds.

            Shortly after the NCAA tournament, blacks, led by Martin Luther King, Jr., began a campaign against discrimination that started in Birmingham and, by the end of August, had included civil rights protests in most major urban areas. The climax of the summer was the largest civil rights demonstration ever, the March on Washington where King delivered his unforgettable “I Have a Dream” speech.

            James finally won an NCAA title in 1964, but a possible matchup with Nance did not materialize as the Syracuse wrestler was upset in the quarter-finals. Douglas was ineligible to wrestle in NCAA competition after transferring to Oklahoma State but did compete and win the freestyle Olympic Trials, joining two other African Americans —Charles Tribble (freestyle) and Robert Pickens (Greco-Roman) as the first blacks to represent the United States in Olympic wrestling competition. Douglas just missed winning a medal, finishing fourth at 63 kilos. As the year drew to a close, Martin Luther King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

            In 1965, while Bill Cosby starred in I Spy and became the first African American to headline a television show, Nance again reclaimed his NCAA heavyweight title. In that same tournament, Iowa State’s Veryl Long won at 147 pounds, the first time that more than one African American won a title at an NCAA tournament. Douglas was a heavy favorite to win Long’s weight, but suffered a severe concussion in the first round and could not continue. Despite this setback, Douglas became a fixture on the U.S. freestyle team and was the first American wrestler, black or white, to finish higher than third in the world championships when he won a silver medal in 1966.

            By the late sixties, against the backdrop of the emerging “black power” movement, African Americans were routinely excelling on the mats. Curley Culp of Arizona State pinned three of four opponents to win the NCAA heavyweight crown in 1967, the same year that Thurgood Marshall was appointed the first African American justice on the Supreme Court. 1967 was also the year that world heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was stripped of his title because he refused to fight in the Vietnam War. “I ain’t got no quarrel with the Viet Cong,” he said. “No Viet Cong ever called me ‘nigger.’” Jason Smith of Iowa State won back-to-back NCAA wrestling titles in 1969 and 1970. Cyclone teammate Carl Adams became the first freshman All-American in two decades by finishing fifth in 1969 and then won titles in 1971 and 1972. In the midst of those years, Douglas continued to compete in freestyle and again made the U.S. Olympic team in 1968, but an injury during his first bout in Mexico City ended his dream of Olympic glory.

            On the coaching front, Don Benning became the first African American to lead a collegiate wrestling team when he took the helm at Nebraska-Omaha in 1964. His first season, he had a losing record, but Nebraska-Omaha rapidly became a wrestling power in the NAIA. In 1970, the Mavericks won the team title, and it is believed that Benning was the first African American coach to win a national collegiate title in any sport.

            In 1969, Jimi Hendrix headlined Woodstock, playing a memorable version of the Star Spangled Banner. A year later he was dead at age 27. But wrestling thrived in the 1970s, providing numerous milestones for African American wrestlers. Jimmy Carr made the 1972 Olympic team at the age of 17, making him, to this day, the youngest wrestler ever to represent the United States in the Olympic Games. Later that year, Shirley Chisolm became the first black woman elected to the United States House of Representatives. In 1973, Lloyd Keaser won a freestyle world gold medal. Three years later, the year that Alex Haley received a special Pulitzer Prize for his bestselling novel, Roots, Keaser won a silver medal in the Montreal Olympics. In 1978, Leroy Kemp of Wisconsin and Jimmy Jackson of Oklahoma State each won their third NCAA titles. A split referees’ decision loss in the 1975 finals prevented Kemp from being the first four-time NCAA champion. At the end of the decade, Darryl Burley of Lehigh became the first African American to win an NCAA title as a true freshman, and the Sugar Hill Gang released the first commercial rap music hit, Rapper’s Delight.

            President Carter’s boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics denied Kemp and Chris Campbell, a two-time NCAA champion at Iowa, the opportunity to be the first African American Olympic gold medalist in wrestling. Kemp won world championships in 1978, 1979 and 1982 and Campbell won in 1981. Remarkably, Campbell came out of retirement in 1992, at the age of 37, and captured a bronze medal in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.

            While Michael Jackson’s Thriller was racking up sales, Iowa State’s Nate Carr was racking up wins and providing some thrills of his own. He won the 142-pound 1981 NCAA championship handily. But in 1982, one of the fiercest rivalries in wrestling heated up. Carr met Oklahoma State’s Kenny Monday three times during the 1982 season, losing two of them, including a stunning fall in the Big Eight Conference finals. Two weeks later, at the NCAA, Carr successfully defended his title, beating Monday in overtime. The next year, it was Carr who beat Monday twice, including another overtime win in the finals of the NCAA tournament to become the third African American three-time NCAA champion.

            In 1984, Jessie Jackson created unprecedented fervor when he ran for president of the United States. Greg Gibson became the first African American to win a medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. Four years later, in Seoul, Monday and Carr wrestled together again, this time as teammates. Carr won a bronze medal while in the next heavier weight class, Monday made history, becoming the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling. He won a world championship the next year and a silver medal in the next Olympiad before finishing his career with a sixth-place finish in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

            At the same time that Monday was making Olympic history, Carlton Haselrig was making collegiate history, becoming the fourth wrestler to win three NCAA Division I crowns. He competed for Division II Pitt-Johnstown, so he had to win the Division II championship just to qualify for the Division I tournament. By the time it was all said and done, Haselrig actually won six NCAA wrestling heavyweight titles, three in Division II and three in Divison I.

            His second year of titles, 1988, was the same year that Bobby Douglas made coaching history. Douglas had turned to coaching after retiring from competition in the early seventies. He coached one year at Cal State-Santa Barbara before taking charge at Arizona State in 1974. Slowly, he built the Sun Devils into a national contender and in 1988, they won the NCAA team title without crowning a single champion. It was the first and only time that a school west of the Rocky Mountains won a team crown. Douglas coached ASU to second in 1989 and 1990 and moved to Iowa State in 1993, where he finished second three times and coached the nation’s first undefeated four-time NCAA champion, Cael Sanderson. Douglas was retired after the 2006 season with 429 dual meet wins.

            In 1989, the U.S. women’s freestyle team made its debut on the international stage, appearing in the world championships in Martigny, Switzerland alongside men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman. Leia Kawaii made U.S. history, bringing home a silver medal.

            African American wrestlers continued to excel in the nineties. Rodney Smith became the second to win an Olympic medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, earning a bronze at the 1992 games in Barcelona. Kevin Jackson, a former Iowa State wrestler and 1987 NCAA runner-up, won Olympic freestyle gold in Barcelona as well as a pair of world championships. Townsend Saunders earned a freestyle silver medal in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Kerry McCoy of Penn State ripped off 88 straight wins while winning two NCAA titles and a third place medal. He made the 2000 and 2004 Olympic freestyle teams and captured a silver medal at the 2003 world championships. McCoy is currently the head coach at Stanford University.

            Joe Williams of Iowa and Greg Jones of West Virginia each won three NCAA titles. Both were named Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA tournament as seniors. Williams and his sibling, T.J., are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles. Joe won a bronze medal at the 2001 and 2005 World Championships and finished fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the United States at 84 kilos and will vie for a spot on the 2008 Olympic team. Another athlete vying for a spot on the 2008 team, Dremiel Byers, became the first African American to win a Greco-Roman world championship with his heavyweight victory in 2002.

            Women’s freestyle wrestling continued to grow and African American participation with it. Tina George represented the United States seven times in the world championships, winning two silver medals, in 2002 and 2003. Toccara Montgomery also won two silver medals, in 2001 and 2003, and made history as the first African American woman to wrestle in the Olympics when the sport was added to the 2004 Athens games. And finally, Iris Smith became the first African American world champion, winning gold in Budapest in 2005.

            In the half century since Simon Roberts won his NCAA title, 45 other African American wrestlers have joined him at the top of the podium. Blacks have also won national, world and Olympic wrestling titles and become successful coaches and officials. Wrestling ranks second to track and field in terms of total titles and medals won by black athletes among those NCAA sports that award individual crowns. Without doubt, African American participation in wrestling has added not just to successes on the mat, but also has endowed a depth and richness of culture to mankind’s oldest and greatest sport.

African American Wrestling Firsts

·        1949 – Harold Hanson of San Diego State wrestles in the 1949 NCAA tournament

·        1954 – Simon Roberts of Davenport wins an Iowa state high school championship

·        1957 – Art Baker of Erie Academy wins a Pennsylvania state high school championship

·        1957 – Simon Roberts of Iowa wins an NCAA championship

·        1958 – Simon Roberts of Iowa wins a Big Ten championship

·        1959 – Bobby Douglas of Bridgeport wins an Ohio state high school championship

·        1959 – Art Baker of Syracuse wins an EIWA championship

·        1960 – Houston Antwine of SIU-Carbondale wins an NAIA championship

·        1960 – Hallow Wilson wins first AAU championship at heavyweight in Greco-Roman

·        1962 – Joe James of Oklahoma State wins a Big Eight championship

·        1962 – Rudy Williams and Hallow Wilson wrestle for the U.S. at the world championships

·        1963 – Joe James wins a gold medal in the Pan American games

·        1964 – Bobby Douglas, Charles Tribble and Robert Pickens wrestle for the U.S. in the Olympics

·        1964 – Don Benning becomes the head coach at Nebraska-Omaha

·        1965 – Jim Nance of Syracuse becomes a two-time NCAA champion

·        1965 – Charles Tribble of Arizona State wins the Gorrarian award (most falls) at the NCAA tournament

·        1966 – Bobby Douglas wins a world championship medal (silver)

·        1967 – Clarence Seal of Portland State and Willie Williams of Illinois State win NCAA College Division titles

·        1969 – Carl Adams of Iowa State becomes a true freshman NCAA All-American

·        1970 – Don Benning coaches Nebraska-Omaha to an NAIA team championship

·        1973 – Lloyd Keaser wins a world championship gold medal

·        1975 – Fletcher Carr of Kentucky becomes the first coach with a Division I All-American

·        1976 – Lloyd Keaser wins an Olympic medal (silver)

·        1978 – Leroy Kemp of Wisconsin and Jimmy Jackson of Oklahoma State win their third NCAA title

·        1979 – Darryl Burley of Lehigh wins an NCAA title as a true freshman

·        1980 – Howard Harris of Oregon State selected Outstanding Wrestler of the NCAA tournament

·        1988 – Bobby Douglas coaches Arizona State to an NCAA team championship

·        1988 – Kenny Monday wins an Olympic gold medal

·        1992 – Bobby Douglas named U.S. Olympic Freestyle head coach

·        1999 – T.J. and Joe Williams become the first brothers to win NCAA Championships

·        2001 – Toccara Montgomery wins a silver medal at the women’s world championships

·        2001 – Kevin Jackson named USA Wrestling National Freestyle Coach

·        2002 – Dremiel Byers wins first Greco-Roman world title for the U.S. in the heavyweight division

·        2004 – Toccara Montgomery wrestles for the U.S. in the Olympics

·        2005 – Iris Smith wins a gold medal at the women’s world championships

Carl Adams

NCAA Champion, 1971, ‘72

Mike Allen

Lifetime Achievement for Officials, 2007

Ike Anderson

Olympian, 1988

Art Baker

NCAA Champion, 1959

Ernest Benion

NCAA Champion, 1995

Darryl Burley

NCAA Champion, 1979, ‘83

Chris Campbell

Distinguished Member, 2005

Olympian, 1980, ‘92

NCAA Champion, 1976, ‘77

Jimmy Carr

Olympian, 1972

Nate Carr

Distinguished Member, 2003

Olympian, 1988

NCAA Champion, 1981, ’82, ‘83

Stewart Carter

NCAA Champion, 1987

Quincey Clark

Olympian, 2000

Daniel Cormier

Olympian, 2004

Curley Culp

NCAA Champion, 1967

Andy Daniels

NCAA Champion, 1978

Tony Davis

NCAA Champion, 2000

Bobby Douglas

Distinguished Member, 1987

Olympian, 1964, ‘68

Charles Douglas

Lifetime Achievement for Officials, 1999

Melvin Douglas

Olympian, 1996, ‘00

NCAA Champion, 1985, ‘86

Chris Edmond

NCAA Champion, 1985

Michial Foy

Olympian, 1988, ‘92

Dwight Gardner

NCAA Champion, 1998

Shawn Garel

NCAA Champion, 1975

Greg Gibson

Distinguished Member, 2007

Olympian, 1984

Howard Harris

NCAA Champion, 1980

Carlton Haselrig

NCAA Champion, 1987, ’88, ‘89

Joe Heskett

NCAA Champion, 2002

Wayne Holmes

Olympian, 1972

Jarrett Hubbard

NCAA Champion, 1973, ‘74

Jimmy Jackson

Olympian, 1976

NCAA Champion, 1976, ’77, ‘78

Kelvin Jackson

NCAA Champion, 1995

Kevin Jackson

Distinguished Member, 2003

Olympian, 1992

Joe James

NCAA Champion, 1964

Charles Jones

NCAA Champion, 1992

Greg Jones

NCAA Champion, 2002, ’04, ‘05

Lloyd Keaser

Olympian, 1976

Dock Kelly

Medal of Courage, 1997

Jamill Kelly

Olympian, 2004

Leroy Kemp

Distinguished Member, 1990

Olympian, 1980

NCAA Champion, 1976, ’77, ‘78

Josh Koscheck

NCAA Champion, 2001

Buddy Lee

Olympian, 1992

Pete Lee

Olympian, 1976

Noel Loban

NCAA Champion, 1980

Veryl Long

NCAA Champion, 1965

Ken Mallory

NCAA Champion, 1978

John Matthews

Olympian, 1976, ‘80

Steven Mays

Olympian, 2000

Kerry McCoy

Olympian, 2000, ‘04

NCAA Champion, 1994, ‘97

Cleo McGlory

NCAA Champion, 1969

Kenny Monday

Distinguished Member, 2001

Olympian, 1988, ’92, ‘96

NCAA Champion, 1984

Toccara Montgomery

Olympian, 2004

Dean Morrison

NCAA Champion, 1994

Jim Nance

NCAA Champion, 1963, ‘65

Chris Pendleton

NCAA Champion, 2004, ‘05

Robert Pickens

Olympian, 1964

Kevin Randleman

NCAA Champion, 1992, ‘93

Ron Ray

NCAA Champion, 1975

Fred Richardson

Lifetime Achievement for Officials, 2004

Simon Roberts

NCAA Champion, 1957

Townsend Saunders

Olympian, 1992, ‘96

Shawn Sheldon

Olympian, 1988, ‘92

Kevin Short

Outstanding American, 2004

Bill Simpson

NCAA Champion, 1973

Dr. Jason Smith

NCAA Champion, 1969, ‘70

Rodney Smith

Olympian, 1992, ‘96

Tab Thacker

NCAA Champion, 1984

Charles Tribble

Olympian, 1964

Byron Tucker

NCAA Champion, 2000

Mike Van Arsdale

NCAA Champion, 1988

Derrick Waldroup

Olympian, 1996

Bobby Walton

Lifetime Achievement for Officials, 2005

Teyon Ware

NCAA Champion, 2003, ‘05

Travis West

Olympian, 1992

Joe Williams

Olympian, 2004

NCAA Champion, 1996, ‘97, ‘98

T.J. Williams

NCAA Champion, 1999, ‘01

Jim Woods

NCAA Champion, 1974

Biographies of all African American NCAA Champions,

Olympians, and Hall of Fame Members

Carl Adams – Carl Adams won a pair of NCAA crowns in 1971 and 1972. Adams also became the first freshman All-American in two decades by finishing fifth in 1969. He has been a collegiate head coach since 1980, first at Rhode Island and then at Boston University. He has won over 250 dual meets.

Mike Allen – During his 25+ years of officiating, Mike Allen has worked 15 NCAA Championships and a host of other major college events including numerous conference tournaments. The first African American to officiate in the Iowa state tournament, he has officiated at 20 Iowa High School Championships and other national high school tournaments.

Ike Anderson – Ike Anderson placed sixth at the Seoul Olympic Games. He also won a silver medal at the 1991 Pan American Games and three U.S. National Greco-Roman titles. Anderson was the head coach of the 1995 Pan American Games team and has been the USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Developmental Coach since 1998.

Art Baker – Art Baker’s short but outstanding collegiate career culminated in an NCAA title in 1959, when he defeated Tim Woodin of Michigan State 9-5 for the 191-pound crown. Baker, who was a starting halfback on Syracuse’s 1959 national champion football team, concentrated on football after winning his title as a sophomore.

Ernest Benion – Ernest Benion won an NCAA title on his first try as a sophomore in 1995, despite finishing third in the Big Ten tournament. He was also a Big Ten champion and three-time All-American for the Illini. He had a career record of 121-30.

Darryl Burley – Darryl Burley was a four-time NCAA finalist and two-time champion for Lehigh from 1979 to 1983. He also won four EIWA crowns and posted a career mark of 94-5-1, the third best ever for a Lehigh wrestler in its century of competition.

Chris Campbell – Chris Campbell won two NCAA titles and three Big Ten crowns for the Hawkeyes in the 1970s. He was a member of the 1980 Olympic team and won a world freestyle crown in 1981. Then, after years of retirement, he made a remarkable comeback and won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics.

Jimmy Carr – Jimmy Carr made the 1972 Olympic team at the age of 17. He is to this day the youngest wrestler ever to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. While 16, Carr finished sixth for the U.S. at the 1971 world championships. Carr was an All-American for Kentucky in 1977 and was coached by his brother Fletcher.

Nate Carr – Nate Carr was a three-time NCAA champion for the Cyclones in the early 1980’s. His last two titles were achieved via overtime wins over his greatest rival – Oklahoma State’s Kenny Monday, an NCAA, world and Olympic champion. Carr was a bronze medalist at the 1988 Olympics.

Stewart Carter – Stewart Carter started for just one season at Iowa State, but that did not prevent him from winning an NCAA title at 158 pounds in 1987. He helped the Cyclones win their most recent team title and end arch rival Iowa’s nine-year streak as team champion.

Quincey Clark – Quincey Clark represented the United States at the Sidney Olympic Games and two world championships, where he finished in the top ten on both occasions. He was a two-time NCAA All-American wrestling first for San Diego State and then Oklahoma. He was a runner-up for the Sooners in 1995.

Daniel Cormier – Daniel Cormier finished fourth at the Athens Olympic games and captured at bronze medal at the 2006 world championships. He was an NCAA runner-up in 2001 for Oklahoma State and was junior college national champion in 1998 and 1999 for Colby Community College.

Curley Culp – Curley Culp dominated the 1967 NCAA tournament by pinning three of four opponents while capturing the heavyweight title. His unstoppable lateral drop enabled him to become Arizona State’s first NCAA champion. He was also an outstanding lineman for the Sun Devil’s and played professional football for over a decade.

Andy Daniels – Andy Daniels won the 1978 NCAA title at 118 pounds as an unseeded wrestler. In his last two bouts he defeated members of the 1980 Olympic team. In the semi-finals he routed Gene Mills of Syracuse 15-7 and in the finals pinned John Azevedo of Cal-State Bakersfield in just 30 seconds.

Tony Davis – When Tony Davis won an NCAA title in 2000, he became the first Northern Iowa wrestler to win an NCAA title in nearly four decades. He was runner-up the previous season, losing 5-3 to T.J. Williams of Iowa, his teammate at Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago.

Bobby Douglas – Bobby Douglas was the first African American wrestler to represent the United States twice in the Olympics. He finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and won world championship silver and bronze medals. He coached at the collegiate level for 33 years and won a team title at Arizona State in 1988. The most noteworthy accomplishment of his coaching career was Cael Sanderson. Douglas is the first African American inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Charles Douglas – After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, Charles Douglas began his 38-year officiating career at the high school and collegiate level. His list of events encompassed many Division II tournaments, major conference meets and 15 Division I NCAA Championships.

Melvin Douglas – Melvin Douglas won back-to-back NCAA crowns in 1985 and 1986 at 177 pounds. He defeated Wayne Catan of Syracuse in both finals. He had a lengthy international career and represented the United States twice in the Olympics. Douglas was also a world freestyle champion in 1993.

Chris Edmond – Chris Edmond is the only wrestler from the University of Tennessee to win an NCAA title. He captured the crown in 1985 by defeating Pete Capone of Hofstra 14-10 in a high scoring final. Edmonds also finished fourth at the 1984 tournament.

Michial Foy – Michial Foy represented the United States at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics. He finished sixth in Barcelona and won a silver medal at the 1989 world championships. He was also a five-time National Greco-Roman champion and wrestled for the University of Minnesota.

Dwight Gardner – Dwight Gardner won his NCAA title in 1998 by upsetting the top two seeds in the 158-pound weight class. He drubbed top-seeded Hardell Moore of Oklahoma State 7-1 in the final. His victory enabled Ohio University to finish ninth in the team race, its highest finish in 25 years.

Shawn Garel – Shawn Garel won the 118-pound NCAA title in 1975 and beat future NCAA champions Mark DiGirolamo and Mike Land on his way to the finals. In what was probably the toughest weight class in the history of the tournament, there were three other future NCAA champions and two runner-ups in the 118-pound bracket.

Greg Gibson – For Greg Gibson, the most versatile of athletes, wrestling success came in three styles and in three decades. In an international career that spanned 29 years, Gibson is the only American wrestler to win world medals in three international styles: Greco-Roman, freestyle and sombo. He was twice an NCAA runner-up wrestling for Oregon.

Howard Harris – Howard Harris totally dominated the heavyweight division in 1980 and pinned all five opponents on his way to the NCAA crown. He pinned four-time Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner in the finals and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Before moving up to heavyweight in 1980, Harris was a three-time All-American at 190 pounds.

Carlton Haselrig – Carlton Haselrig won a total of six NCAA wrestling titles, three each in Division I and Division II from 1987 to 1989. Despite never playing football in college, he had a successful career in the NFL and was an All-Pro offensive guard in 1993 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Joe Heskett – Joe Heskett was a four-time All-American and three-time Big Eight champion who won an NCAA title at 165 pounds in 2002. He posted a record of 143-10-0 during his career at Iowa State. He finished fifth at the 2007 world championships, but had to retire shortly after the tournament because of a heart ailment.

Wayne Holmes – Wayne Holmes represented the United States at the Munich Olympic Games and the 1971 world championships in Greco-Roman wrestling. He was also a two-time National Greco-Roman champion.

Jarrett Hubbard – Jarrett Hubbard won back-to-back NCAA titles at 150 pounds in 1973 and 1974 and was the Wolverines’ first four-time All-American. He was the only Michigan wrestler with more than 20 matches in a season to post a perfect record – he was 23-0-0 in 1974.

Jimmy Jackson – Jimmy Jackson won three straight NCAA and Big Eight heavyweight titles from 1976 to 1978. He had a career record of 87-9-2 and holds the Cowboy record for the fastest fall in just 12 seconds. He also represented the United States at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

Kelvin Jackson – Kelvin Jackson won the 1995 NCAA title at 118 pounds and was a two-time Big Ten runner-up. He also wrestled for two years at Lassen Community College and won the 1993 junior college national title at 118 pounds.

Kevin Jackson – Kevin Jackson won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics and titles at the 1991 and 1995 world championships. He was as a runner-up at the 1987 NCAA tournament for Iowa State, when the Cyclones ended Iowa’s nine year run at the top. He is currently the head freestyle coach for USA Wrestling.

Joe James – Joe James was the first African American to ever wrestle for Oklahoma State. He won an NCAA heavyweight title in 1964 and was a three-time All-American. He was famous for his Adonis-like physique developed before the era of vigorous weight training.

Charles Jones – At the age of 28, Charles Jones became the oldest wrestler ever to win an NCAA title when he captured the 167-pound crown in 1992. Jones wrestled for two seasons for the Boilermakers and posted a career mark 67-4-0. He was also a Big Ten champion in 1992 and finished third in the 1991 NCAA tournament.

Greg Jones – Greg Jones won NCAA titles in 2002 at 174 pounds and 2004 and 2005 at 184 pounds. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2005 tournament. He finished his collegiate career with a record of 126-4-0 and is the only West Virginia wrestler to win multiple NCAA championships.

Lloyd Keaser – Lloyd Keaser used an outstanding collegiate career, which included two All-America medals at the Naval Academy, to launch an even more outstanding freestyle career. His crowning achievements were a freestyle world championship in 1973, for which he was voted amateur wrestling’s Man of the Year, and an Olympic silver medal in 1976 at Montreal.

Dock Kelly – Dock Kelly has only one foot and one functional hand – and an enormous heart. As a 126-pound wrestler for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro he enjoyed an outstanding senior season in 1996. He posted a 22-7 record with four falls placed third in the Colonial Athletic Association Championships.

Jamill Kelly – Although he was never an All-American while wrestling for Oklahoma State, Jamill Kelly captured a silver medal at the Athens Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling. Kelly was also a 2003 U.S. National champion and represented the U.S. at the 2003 world championships in New York City.

Leroy Kemp – A referees’ split decision loss to Iowa’s Chuck Yagla in the 1975 NCAA final prevented Lee Kemp from becoming the first four-time NCAA champion. Kemp also had an outstanding international career and was a three-time world champion. Kemp made the 1980 Olympic team and was an overwhelming favorite to win gold, until President Carter’s boycott.

Josh Koscheck – Josh Koscheck was a four-time All-American for Edinboro from 1999 to 2002. He defeated Maurice Worthy of Army to win the NCAA 174-pound title in 2001. He was honored as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year three times and was twice named the Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year.

Buddy Lee – Buddy Lee finished sixth at the Barcelona Olympic Games in Greco-Roman wrestling. It capped a career that included two All-American finishes at Old Dominion, three U.S. National Greco-Roman championships and two top ten finishes at the world championships. Lee also fashioned a worldwide reputation with his jump rope skills, which he has displayed in exhibitions for presidents and world leaders.

Pete Lee – Pete Lee finished fifth in heavyweight at the Montreal Olympic Games. He scored a major upset in the first round of the competition by pinning four-time world champion Alexandre Tomov of Bulgaria. Lee also placed at the 1977 and 1982 world championships.

Noel Loban – Noel Loban won the 190-pound NCAA crown in 1980 as the eighth seed. He beat the first, second and fourth seed to become the first Clemson wrestler to reach the top of the podium. Loban, who was born in London, England, won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics competing for Great Britain.

Veryl Long – Veryl Long, a three-time All-American, won his 147-pound NCAA title at the 1965 tournament via a split referees’ decision. It was a key victory for the Cyclones, who won their first official NCAA team title by one point over Oklahoma State.

Ken Mallory – Ken Mallory was the only Division III wrestler to win a Division I title. He won the 134-pound title in 1978 with a 10-7 victory over Frank DeAngelis of Oklahoma. Mallory also won three Division III crowns and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1978 Division III tournament.

John Matthews – John Matthews was a two-time Olympian and a 1979 Pan American Games gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling. He also represented the United States four times at the world championships and finished fourth in 1978. Matthews was a three-time U.S. National Greco-Roman champion.

Steven Mays – Steven Mays competed for the United States at the 2000 Olympics and 1999 world championships. It is a measure of his persistence and determination that Mays reached the ultimate goal for a wrestler at the age of 33. He also won a U.S. National Greco-Roman title in 1999. 

Kerry McCoy – Kerry McCoy was the most successful wrestler in a century of competition at Penn State. He placed first twice and third at the NCAA tournament. He was a member of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams and won a silver medal at the 2003 world championships. He is currently the head coach at Stanford.

Cleo McGlory – Cleo McGlory was a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, but he scorned the Cowboys to find wrestling success at arch rival Oklahoma. McGlory won an NCAA title in 1969 after finishing runner-up the previous two seasons. He faced an Iowa State wrestler in each final and beat Dave Martin 5-3 in 1969.

Kenny Monday – At the Seoul Olympics, Kenny Monday became the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. He also won a world championship in 1989 and a silver medal in Barcelona. He was an NCAA champion in 1984 and a runner-up in 1982 and 1983.

Toccara Montgomery – Toccara Montgomery is the first and only African American woman to represent the United States at the Olympics in wrestling. She also won silver medals at the 2001 and 2003 world championships and was a four-time U.S. National champion.

Dean Morrison – Dean Morrison captured the 177-pound NCAA title in 1994 and competed internationally for many years after ending his collegiate career. In March 2007 he was hired by Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. to lead the continued growth of the sport of wrestling in New York City.

Jim Nance – Jim Nance was the first African American to win an NCAA heavyweight title and also the first to win two NCAA crowns. Nance captured titles in 1963 and 1965 and was a three-time EIWA champion. He was also an outstanding fullback at Syracuse and during his ten year career in the AFL and NFL.

Chris Pendleton – Chris Pendleton won back-to-back 174-pound NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005 and finished third in 2003. He was one of five Cowboys to win a title in 2005. He had a career of 114-11-0 with OSU and holds the team record for the fastest fall (0:17) at the NCAA tournament.

Robert Pickens – Robert Pickens, who placed sixth in heavyweight at the Tokyo Olympic Games, was the first African American to represent the U.S. at the Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling. He played football for University of Nebraska and the Chicago Bears.

Kevin Randleman – Kevin Randleman became the first Ohio State wrestler to win multiple NCAA crowns when he won back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993. Randleman also reached the finals in 1991 as a freshman. He finished his career with a record of 108-7-3.

Ron Ray – Ron Ray won an NCAA title for the Cowboys at 167 pounds in 1975. He competed for two years at Stillwater, after winning a pair of junior college national titles at Wilbur Wright College. He also finished sixth at the 1974 NCAA tournament.

Fred Richardson – Fred Richardson learned the art of officiating from Dr. Ray Sparks while in the military. During his 35 years of officiating experience, Richardson has worked 15 NCAA Division I championships, 20 EIWA championships, several NCAA Division II championships and eight Pennsylvania high school state tournaments.

Simon Roberts – Simon Roberts had a ground breaking career as a high school and collegiate wrestler. He was the first African American to win an Iowa high school, a Big Ten and an NCAA title. He beat the same wrestler, Ron Gray, to win both his high school and NCAA crowns.

Townsend Saunders – Townsend “Junior” Saunders won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympics and finished seventh in 1992. He was a two-time NCAA All-American for Arizona State and finished second in 1989. His wife Tricia was a four-time world champion.

Shawn Sheldon – Shawn Sheldon was a two-time Olympian who narrowly missed medaling in 1992, when he finished fourth. During his career he won a silver medal at the 1991 world championships, an NCAA Division III title for SUNY-Albany and nine U.S. National Greco-Roman champions.

Kevin Short – Kevin Short, former high school wrestling champion, is now a highly sought after Bass-Baritone. Since his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1991, he has sung in over 125 performances at the Met. He has won top honors at the International Verdi Competition and the Roca Ponselle International Vocal Competition.

Bill Simpson – Bill Simpson won NCAA College and University titles in 1973 at 167 pounds. He was part of the remarkable showing by Clarion in 1973 when the College Division school crowned three University Division champions. Simpson also finished fifth in 1974.

Dr. Jason Smith – Jason Smith was a two-time NCAA champion at 167 pounds in 1969 and 1970 and a member of the Cyclone team champions for those seasons. He also finished third in 1968 and was a Big Eight champion in 1970.

Rodney Smith – Rodney Smith competed at both the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and won a bronze medal in Barcelona. He medaled in 1992 despite fracturing the fourth and fifth vertebrae in his back during Olympic competition. Smith was also a two-time NCAA Division III All-American at Western New England College.

Tab Thacker – Tab Thacker became the largest heavyweight ever to win an NCAA title when he captured the crown in 1984. The three-time All-American, who competed while weighing 450 pounds, became an actor after completing his wrestling career. He appeared in Wildcats and two of the Police Academy movies.

Charles Tribble – In 1964, Charles Tribble, along with Bobby Douglas and Bob Pickens, became the first African Americans to wrestle for the U.S. in the Olympic Games. He also finished third for Arizona State at 177 pounds at the 1965 NCAA tournament and won the trophy for the most falls in the least time.

Byron Tucker – Byron Tucker won the 174-pound title at the 2000 NCAA tournament. He also won the Big Eight crown at 174 pounds and over 100 bouts during his collegiate career. In the summer of 2000, he placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals and also took fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Mike Van Arsdale – Mike Van Arsdale was a three-time All-American and 1988 NCAA champion at 167 pounds. He also won the Big Eight crown at 167 pounds and won over 100 bouts during his collegiate career.

Derrick Waldroup – Derrick Waldroup capped a long wrestling career by representing the United States at the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games at the age of 33. He was a four-time U.S. National Greco-Roman champion, competed at two world championships and won a junior college national championship for Triton College.

Bobby Walton – Bobby Walton has been an outstanding official at all levels, scholastic, collegiate and international, for more than two decades. He has worked many of the important events of the season, including the Big Eight, U.S. Senior Nationals, ASICS Cadet and Junior Nationals and the Sunshine Open.

Teyon Ware – Teyon Ware won NCAA titles in 2003 and 2005, the first as a true freshman. He was a four-time All-American with a runner-up finish in 2006. He had a career record of 112-15-0. He was the first Sooner to capture more than one NCAA crown in nearly two decades.

Travis West – Travis West competed for the United States in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Barcelona Olympic Games. He was also a NCAA Division II champion while at Portland State. West passed away at the age of 37 in 2004 from a rare liver disease that also claimed Walter Payton’s life.

Joe Williams – Joe Williams won three straight NCAA titles from 1996 to 1998 and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1998 tournament. He was also a two-time Big Ten champion and finished fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He and his sibling T.J. are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles.

T.J. Williams – T.J. Williams lost just one match in three years of wrestling at Iowa and finished with two NCAA titles and three Big Ten crowns. His record of 98-1-0 is the highest winning percentage in the history of Iowa wrestling. He and his sibling Joe are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles.

Jim Woods – Jim Woods won both the NCAA Division I and Division II heavyweight titles in 1974. Woods rallied from a 4-2 deficit after two periods in the finals to defeat Gary Ernst of Michigan for the Division I title. Woods’ victory enabled Oklahoma to nip Michigan in the battle for the team title.