Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wayne State (Nebraska)

There are two Wayne States.  To see information regarding the former wrestling program of the Wayne State University in Michigan, check out my post for Wayne State (Michigan).  This post is to focus on Wayne State College in Nebraska. 

The Wildcats had a competitive wrestling team that competed in the NAIA up through the 1980-1981 season.   

Bob Kruse
HWT

Twice in football & twice in wrestling, Bob Kruse was a four time All American during his time as a wildcat.  After making the NAIA finals in 1965, he took third place honors in 1966.  He later went on to play football in the NFL, having stints with the Oakland Raiders, the Cincinnati Bengals & the Buffalo Bills.  Post his playing career, he was a scout for the Raiders.  He later coached both football & wrestling at Wayne State College. 

Ken Monroe
167 lbs 

Ken Monroe came to Wayne State from East Leyden High school in Illinois.  While competing for the Wildcats he put together a career record of 92-9, damn near winning four NAIA titles.  Finishing as the 1971 runner up, Monroe won NAIA championships in 1970, 1972 & 1973.  

Also a member of the Wildcat football team, he later became a police officer. 

Larry Michelson
152 lbs 

Going 40-9 for the Wildcats, Michelson had an outstanding career.  Winning an NAIA title in 1968 as a junior, he finished as the runner-up as a senior in 1969. 

Tom Firestack

Having the polar opposite finishes of Michelson,  Firestack took runner-up honors in 1968 & won an NAIA title in 1969. 

Ron Coles 
HWT

A graduate of Marshall High school in Indianapolis, Indiana, Coles was named All district in football & took third place All American honors at the 1972 NAIA wrestling championships. 

Mike Reidmann

We've all heard if we won't know one personally of a story of a wrestling coach watching athletes on the gridiron & thinking to themselves, "That football player would make a great wrestler."   Yet, how many stories do we know of football coaches watching athletes on the mat & thinking to themselves, "That wrestler would make a great football player"?   If you don't know at least one, now you do. 

After wrestling his freshman season, Reidmann was approached by the Wildcats football coach & asked to join the team his sophomore season as a linebacker. It was the first time in Reidmann's life he had played organized football.  

He caught on quick as his football talents & making the NAIA wrestling finals earned him the distinction of the Wayne State College athlete of the year in 1976. 

Kirk Gardner

A two time State champion for Wakefield High school, Gardner played football & wrestled for the Wildcats.  He was All district as a football player, playing fullback. 

Today he is part owner of Bob's Fitness center.