Showing 46 results

Authority record
Wrestling coaches

Abel, Stan

  • Person
  • OU coach 1973-1993

Bay, Rick

  • Person
  • Michigan University Coach and wrestler

Chesbro, Todd

  • Person
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Head coach at Wyoming

Clinton, Ron

  • Person
  • Oklahoma State University Wrestler
  • Eastern Illinois State Coach

Cross, Kendall

  • Person
  • Oklahoma State University
  • Weight Class: 125.5 lbs.
  • Head coach at Wyoming

Denney, Mike

  • Person
  • University of Nebraska Omaha Coach

Evans, Tommy

  • Person
  • University of Oklahoma coach and wrestler

Gavin, Keith

  • Person
  • University of Pittsburgh Coach

Gibbons, Jim

  • Person
  • Iowa State University Wrestler and Coach

Griffith, Art

  • Person
  • Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical College Coach

Gutches, Les

  • Person
  • Oregon State University
  • Position: 177 Weight Class
  • Oregon State University Coach

Hahn, Damion

  • Person
  • South Dakota State University head coach
  • University of Minnesota
  • Position: 171/184 Weight Class
  • Minnesota Storm Wrestling Club - Position: 96 kg (211.5 lb.) Weight Class
  • SDSU Wrestling Staff

Hall, Roy

  • Person
  • Davison High School Coach

Hellickson, Russ

  • Person
  • USA
  • Wisconsin Coach
  • Ohio State University
  • Position: 198 Weight Class

Hitchcock, Vaughn

  • Person
  • Washington State University
  • California Polytechnic State University Coach

Howard, Mike

  • Person
  • University of Iowa Coach 1922-1943

Koch, Jim

  • Person
  • 1947-2017

Jim Koch was well-known in the wrestling community. His wrestling career started in 1963 as a junior at Milbank High School. As a senior, he went 23-1-1 at the state meet, making him the school’s first wrestler to earn a medal at the competition.

Koch was recruited at SDSU for football and wrestling, and was awarded the Stephen F. Briggs academic scholarship. He focused on wrestling after his first year. Koch had an undefeated freshman wrestling season. He then became the varsity 160 pounder and competed in the North Central Conference championship finals for the next three years. Koch graduated from SDSU with honors in 1969. He earned a Master of Science in Health, Physical Education and Recreation from SDSU in 1974. Koch’s thesis can be viewed here.

His coaching career began in 1969 as an SDSU graduate assistant. In 1970, Koch joined the University of Wisconsin-Parkside as its first head wrestling coach. He remained at UW-Parkside for 41 seasons until his retirement in 2011, during which time the school’s wrestling program earned numerous accolades. According to a UW-Parkside press release, “his wrestlers earned 128 All-America honors, 80 Academic All-America honors, and 14 wrestlers won individual national championships. Under his tutelage, Ranger Athletics emerged as one of the top programs in the nation as his teams finished with a Top 10 national ranking in 23 seasons.” His wrestlers participated in 68 national tournaments, and his teams reached both the NCAA Division II Nationals and the NAIA Nationals 31 times.

Outside of the university program, Koch was also a leader in the sport on the national level. To name a few of his roles, he chaired the National Hall of Fame Committee for both the NAIA and the NCAA Division II and oversaw the induction of more than 70 and 74 members, respectively. Koch served terms as president for those same organizations’ National Wrestling Coaches Association, and was influential in developing the academic All-American awards requirements for the two groups. He was the host coach of the NCAA Division II National Tournament in 1982, 1990, and 2002.

Koch was widely recognized for his coaching achievements and service to the sport of wrestling. In 1971, Amateur Wrestling News named Koch the Collegiate Rookie Coach of the Year. As an SDSU alumnus, he received the 1995 Ralph Ginn Coaching Award for coaching excellence. He was inducted into six hall of fames, including the NAIA National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993, and the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2003, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame honored Koch with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Koch passed away March 23, 2017, at the age of 69, as the result of injuries from being struck by a car while jogging in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was attending the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Just prior to his death, the National Wrestling Coaches’ Association renamed its hall of fame to the Jim Koch Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame. In November 2018, UW-Parkside Wrestling revealed the new Jim Koch Wrestling Center practice facility.

  • South Dakota State University
  • Position:
    • 160 Weight Class
      • 167 Weight Class
  • University of Wisconsin-Parkside Coach

Koll, Rob

  • Person
  • Cornell University Coach

Leeman, Gerry

  • Person
  • UHI wrestler
  • Lehigh University Coach

Liles, Jason

  • Person
  • SDSU Coach 1993-2012

South Dakota State University Wrestling Head Coach, Record: 11-20
Northern Montana University Coach
Hometown: Havre, Minnesota
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

Lorenzo, Rich

  • Person
  • Pennsylvania State University Coach, 1979-1992

McCready, Mike

  • Person
  • Coach at Upper Iowa University

McCuskey, Dave

  • Person
  • Athlete at Iowa State Teachers College
  • University of Iowa Coach (42 years)

McFarland, Joe

  • Person
  • Wrestler at Ohio State University
  • University of Indiana Coach
  • University of Michigan" Coach

Morgan, Marty

  • Person
  • North Dakota State University
  • Position: 177 Weight Class
  • Minnesota Coach

Neuberger, Tom

  • Person
  • South Dakota State University Athlete and Coach

Otopalik, Hugo

  • Person
  • Iowa State University Coach 1920-1953

Patten, Chuck

  • Person
  • University of Northern Iowa Wrestler and Coach

Patterson, Buel

  • Person
  • University of Nebraska Head Coach
  • University of Illinois Head Coach

Penrith, Brad

  • Person
  • University of Iowa
  • Position: 126 Weight Class
  • University of Northern Iowa Coach

Reader, Jon

  • Person
  • Davison High School
  • Position:
    • 119 Weight Class
    • 152 Weight Class
    • 160 Weight Class
  • Iowa State University
  • Position:
    • 165 Weight Class
  • South Dakota State University WRestling Assistant Coach
  • 2016-2017 SDSU Wrestling Coaching Staff

Robinson, J.

  • Person
  • University of Minnesota coach
  • Assistant for Dan Gable, Iowa

Roderick, Myron

  • Person
  • Oklahoma State University Wrestling coach began in 1956

Simaz, Cam

  • Person
  • SDSU Assistant Coach

Sykora, Cameron

  • Person

NSDU Wrestling Roster

Cam Sykora is in his second season as a volunteer assistant coach on the North Dakota State University wrestling staff. The four-time NCAA qualifier joined the Bison coaching staff ahead of the 2021-22 season, after wrapping up his career with the Bison.

Originally from Wheaton, Minn., Sykora qualified for the NCAA tournament at 133 pounds from 2017 to 2020. He was a three-time Big 12 Conference placewinner and North Dakota State’s first Big 12 champion in 2020.

Sykora compiled an 87-34 record in four seasons with the Bison including 33 wins by technical fall, 14 major decisions and eight pins. He was 17-4 in his senior year, ranked No. 9 in the final NCAA RPI, and was a National Wrestling Coaches Association All-America second team selection.

A five-time Minnesota state champion, Sykora went 37-0 and 33-0 in his final two seasons at Wheaton High School. He graduated from NDSU in May 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in university studies.

Wilkinson, Jim

  • Person
  • Southern Illinois University Coach

Zalesky, Jim

  • Person
  • Iowa State University Wrestler and Coach
  • Position: 158 Weight Class