Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Jacksonville State

The friendliest campus in the south at one time fielded a wrestling program that at one time was ranked as high as 15th in the NCAA Division II level.   While the school has been successful in a variety of athletics, crowning an assortment of NCAA champions, their first was in wrestling. 

Gary Erwin
150 lbs 

An Alabama native of Gardendale High school where he won the state title in 1978, Erwin was the most successful of Gamecock wrestlers.  He won three Mid-South Conference titles as well as two Regional titles during his career.  In 1980 as a sophomore he took fifth place All American honors at the NAIA championships.  He would make the NCAA Division II finals in 1981, becoming the Gamecocks first NCAA champion in any sport finishing his career with a Division II title in 1982.