Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Washington State

The first PAC-12 wrestling tournament was held in 1963.  The team champions? The Washington State Cougars.  Like nearly all of the schools in the evergreen state, Washington State no longer has a wrestling program and like nearly all of the schools in the evergreen state, Washington State was pretty good when they did.

Going over Cougar wrestling history, I've picked out who I feel are the eight best wrestlers in school history.

123 lbs
Allen Peterson

The year of 1965 was a good one for lightweight Allen Peterson as he won the 123 lbs PAC-12 title and finished in sixth place at the NCAA championships.

134 & 142 lbs
Paul Danelo

The Cougars Paul Danelo was a three time NCAA qualifier, qualifying for the NCAA championships in 1972 and 1973 at 134 lbs.  He qualified in 1974 at 142 lbs.   During his junior season, he won the PAC-12 championship.

150 lbs
Michael Dotson

While wrestling as a youth, Michael Dotson always envisioned himself as a University of Washington Husky.  Yet when the time came to wrestle in college, the Huskies had already dropped their wrestling program and Washington State was the only Division I program left in the state.  While wrestling for the Cougars, Dotson qualified for the NCAA tournament three times in 1983, 84' & 86'.   Years later Dotson's son Isaac was a linebacker on the Cougar football team.

160 lbs
Don Hensley

In 1965 Don Hensley won a PAC 12 title wrestling at 147 lbs.  While he was unable to secure another PAC-12 title up at 160 lbs in 1966, he did manage to capture All American honors with a sixth place finish at the NCAA championships.

167 lbs
Fred Fairbanks

The year of 1967 was a good one for Cougar Fred Fairbanks as he won a PAC-12 title, took fifth at the NCAA championships and was selected as a member of team West in the East Vs West All Star classic.

177 lbs

A member of Athletes In Action (AIA) Sam Hieronymus was a two time NCAA qualifier for the Cougars.

191 lbs
Vaughn Hitchcock

Although he was a talented wrestler himself, winning Pacific Coast Conference titles in 1955 & 1956, it was in coaching that former Cougar Vaughn Hitchcock really found his calling. Post his collegiate career at Washington State, Hitchcock took over as head coach of Cal Poly.  He led the Mustangs to eight NCAA Division II team championships and 355 dual meet victories. 16 of his wrestlers won NCAA Division II titles.   He was named NCAA Division II coach of the year in 1968 and in 1972.

HWT
Wendell Ellis

Former HWT Wendell Ellis owns three records in Cougar wrestling history.  Two of which I'm sure he is very proud of and one of which I'm sure he'd rather be without.  He is the only four time NCAA qualifier for the program qualifying for the 83', 84', 85' & 86' NCAA championships. He is also the only two time PAC-12 champ, winning titles his sophomore and senior seasons.   Unfortunately along with teammates Andre Taylor at 142 lbs and Mike Sudduth at 190 lbs, he was the last NCAA qualifier the Cougars ever had.  Washington State dropped their program after the 1985-1986 wrestling season.