Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = TOLEDO

In the hot bed of some of the best high school wrestling in the nation, it is hard to believe that Toledo no longer fields a varsity wrestling team. Yet the nine time conference champions with two Four I titles and seven MAC (Mid American Conference) titles dropped their program after the 1993-1994 season.  They finished a high fourth at the 1952 NCAA tournament.

115 lbs
Dick Wilson

Lightweight Dick Wilson was one of the best wrestlers in the history of Rocket wrestling.  A three time MAC champion, Wilson took runner-up honors at the NCAA tournament in 1959, 1960 & 1961.  In between his sophomore & junior year of college he won a Pan-American gold medal & between his junior and senior year, not only did he make an Olympic team, he was named captain.  He was also captain of the 1964 Olympic team.

Post his successful career as a wrestler, he became the head coach of Toledo high school and later the principal.

115 lbs
Dave Keller

Another standout lightweight for the Rockets was Dave Keller who finished in fourth place at the 1968 NCAA championships as a junior. In the same season he was selected to participate in the East vs West All Star meet.  Keller also won Midlands titles his sophomore & senior seasons, coming in second as a junior.

118 lbs
Myron Shapiro

118 lbs'er Myron Shapiro has a standout senior season in 1975 for the rockets. A record of 26-2, not only did he win a MAC title, he was named outstanding wrestler of the tournament.  He finished in third place at the NCAA championships.

130/134 lbs
Ron Junko

A native of Pennsylvania, Ron Junko won a state championship for Trinity High school before coming to Toledo. While competing for the Rockets, Junko won two MAC titles and placed sixth aat the 1970 NCAA championships as a junior.

Post college he returned to Pennsylvania to coach high school wrestling.

Merrill Solowin

Solowin won two MAC titles for the Rockets during his sophomore and junior campaigns of 1962 and 1963.  Despite losing his bid for a third title & having to settle for a runner up finish his senior year of 1964, it was his best finish at the NCAA tournament.  Placing fourth as a junior, Solowin capped off his career with a third place finish.

152 lbs
Phil McCartney

Phil McCartney made All American status for the Rockets in 1967 when he took fifth place honors at the NCAA championships.  Post college I believe McCarty coached at both Bowling Green & Tennessee-Martin (two other programs that we've lost). 

An avid runner who participated in a series of Marathons, McCartney sadly passed away in 2012.

157, 167, 177 & HWT
Don Wem

After winning MAC titles at 157, 167, & 177 in his first three seasons, Don Wem moved up to HWT as a senior in a bid to win a fourth title.  He came up short losing in the 1955 finals.  Ironically enough, it ended up being the only year he placed at the NCAA's as he finished in fourth place. It should be noted that while wrestling in the HWT Division, he still only weighed 177 lbs.

Post his collegiate wrestling career, Wem wrestled in the Army.  His career record throughout high school, college and post college was an impressive 323-21.

Once while driving in a snow storm, Wem pulled over and found shelter in a barn.  Others found themselves trapped in the barn because of the storm as well.  When the snow stopped, Wem knew that it would be a while before conditions improved so that everyone could leave. It was five miles to the nearest grocery store.  Wem collected some money from everyone who was there, walked the five miles into town, got some hamburger & other food and walked five miles back.

177, HWT, 191
Dick Torio 

A three time All American for the Rockets, Torio finished in third place in 1951 and 1953, taking fourth in 1952.  He later served our country during the Korean war and coached the 1963 World Greco-Roman team.  He later served as an official, officiating many World and Olympic championships including the 1972 games.

Harry Lanzi

One of the best wrestlers in the history of Rocket wrestling, Lanzi took third at the 1951 NCAA championships, capping off his career with a national title in 1952.  During his time at Toledo, he never knew defeat during the regular season.

Lanzi's brother Ed was also an All American taking fourth in 1953.

HWT
Greg Wojcieshowski

Probably the most famous wrestler is Rocket wrestling history is Greg Wojciechowski who came to Toledo after a stellar career at Whitmer high school where he won state titles in 1967 & 1968.  While competing for the rockets Wojciechowski won a national title as a junior in 1971, finishing as the NCAA runner-up in 1970 & 1972.  He also finished as the Midlands runner-up on two occasions.

Making the 1980 Olympic team, he was expected to be a plausible medalist but unfortunately the United States decided not to participate in the games. He was an alternate on the 1984 & 1988 teams.

Post his amateur wrestling career, Wojciechowski had a successful career in professional wrestling, competing for Indianapolis based promotion World Wrestling Association (WWA).  He wrestled under the name "The Great Wojo."

Post his professional wrestling career Wojciechowski coached high school wrestling in the Toledo area.