Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Olivet Nazarene

Located about an hour southwest of Chicago, the small Christian college of Olivet Nazarene has had quite the history in its 113 year existence.  Within that history, was a wrestling program that came to an end after the 1993-1994 season.  

During the Tigers time in wrestling, the school competed in both the NAIA & the NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association). They won NCCAA team titles in 1987, 1988, 1990 & 1993. 

Joe Swanson

Swanson took fifth place All American honors at the 1987 NAIA championships. 

Bob Manville
190 lbs 

Manville captured a fifth place finish at the 1987 NAIA championships before becoming the Tiger's first NAIA champion in 1988. 

Kevin Byrd

Byrd competed for Triton college two years in the NJCAA before coming to Olivet-Nazarene.  He took eighth place at the 1989 NAIA tournament. 

Charles Jones
167, 177 lbs 

Charles Jones was an old man by collegiate wrestling standards when he entered Olivet-Nazarene as a 24 year old freshman after serving our country in the military.  That year of 1989 he made the NAIA finals & followed it up in 1990 with a third place finish. 

Transferring to Purdue, he made an immediate impact at the NCAA Division I level taking a third place finish at the NCAA championships in 1991 & becoming one of the oldest NCAA champions in history when at 28 years old he captured a title in 1992. 

Gabe Mendez
126 lbs 

A native of Mexico, Mendez captured a third place finish at the 1993 NAIA championships.  He later represented Mexico in various international competitions before taking over as head coach of Bishop McNamara High School. 

Ken "Duke" McKean

McKean was one of the best to represent the Tigers during their last years of wrestling winning back to back NAIA titles in 1992 & 1993.   He later served our country as a member of the United States Marines. 

Mark Kruszynsk

Kruszynsk won a NAIA title for the Tigers in 1978.