Defending the Title: 1968: Those Who Did and Those Who Did Not Defend The Title

 1968 marked a very important year in NCAA Division I wrestling as freshmen were now eligible to compete in post season tournaments. 

Dale Anderson of Michigan State & 1966 Champion Dave Porter of Michigan both ended their careers as two time NCAA champions. 

1968 Champion 115
Ken Melchior of Lock Haven 

A graduate of Haddonfield High School in New Jersey, Melchior won NAIA titles in 1967, 1968 and 1969. Winning the NCAA DI title in 1968, he would not place at the NCAA's in 1969.  Graduating with a 98-6 career record he later coached at Delaware State. 

1968 Champion 123
Dwayne Keller of Oklahoma State 

Keller keeps his place in history as being the first freshman to win an NCAA title after freshmen were reinstated to be able to compete in the NCAA tournament.  Missing out on his sophomore season in 1969, he would repeat as champion in 1970 & then end his career taking NCAA runner-up honors in 1971. 

1968 Champion 130 
Dan Gable of Iowa State 

The most recognized and prolific name in amateur wrestling, Gable won the NCAA title for the Cyclones here in 1968 as a sophomore. He would repeat in 1969 as a junior, losing in the 1970 NCAA finals in what many consider to be the greatest upset to ever happen in collegiate wrestling.  A 1971 World Gold Medalist who won Olympic Gold in 1972, Gable's real testimony to wrestling was as a coach.  An unperilled 15 NCAA titles and 21 BIG 10 titles while the head of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Gable not only gets the nod as the greatest college wrestling coach of all time, he's in the argument for the greatest college coach of all time period. 

1968 Champion 145
Dale Bahr of Iowa State 

A three time State champion for Iowa Falls high school, Bahr was NCAA runner-up in 1966 and third in 1967 before capturing the NCAA title in 1968.  Later a coach at Michigan, he took the Wolverines to six top 10 NCAA finishes, producing 45 All Americans, winning 221 duels. 

1968 Champion 152 
Wayne Wells of Oklahoma 

Another case for Texas, the lone star state native finished as the NCAA runner-up in 1967, finishing out his Sooner career as champion in 1952.  He went on to have grand success at the international level, winning World Silver in 1969, World Gold in 1970 and Olympic gold in 1972. 

1968 Champion 160 
Reg Wicks of Iowa State 

If you're looking for another story of inspiration, I have one for you.  Competing for Decorah, runner-up honors is the best Wicks ever did while in high school.  Even more notable is the fact that Wicks competed in both the 1966 and 1967 championships.  He didn't win a match in either.  Ironically, in 1968 he entered that NCAA tournament too, this time, he didn't lose a match.   Wicks later coached at Mankato State, Wisconsin Stevens Point and Navy. 

1968 Champion 167 
Mike Gallego of Fresno State 

With the illustrious history of Bulldog wrestling, the administration at Fresno State ought to be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves for dropping the program.  Gallego a graduate of McLane HIgh School won two NCAA Division II titles for the Bulldogs, taking NCAA DI runner-up honors in 1967 before winning a DI title in 1968.  He later ran a dentistry in Grass Valley. 

1968 Champion 177
Bob Justice of Colorado 

A state champion for Lincoln high school, Justice captured the NCAA title for the Buffalos in 1968 as a junior.  In 1969 he looked poised for another NCAA title, when he suffered a season ending injury at the BIG 12 tournament. 

1968 Champion 191
Dominic "Nick" Carollo of Adams State 

Many wrestlers have stories of scrapping on the mat with dad, uncle, older brothers or even grandpa, but how often do you hear of someone who was toughened up by mom? Carollo's mother was a fourth degree black belt in Judo, and she taught him an assortment of throws.  If that isn't enough to make Carollo unique, it should also be noted that he is the first CCCAA champion to win an NCAA title. He won two CCCAA titles for El Camino college before transferring to Adams State.  Along with winning the 1968 NCAA DI title, he also won NAIA championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968.  He later won Pan-American gold in 1971. 


===

Anderson and Porter previously mentioned

Keller repeated in 1970 but did not in 1971, whereas Gable repeated in 1969 but did not in 1970

Melchior did not repeat in 1969

Injury kept Justice from repeating in 1969

Bahr, Wells, Wicks, Gallego, and Carollo all seniors 

Defending the Title: 1967: Those Who Did and Those Who Didn't Defend the Title

 Portland State's Rick Sanders won his second NCAA DI title as Mike Caruso of Lehigh won his third. 

1967 Champion 130
David McGuire of Oklahoma 

A three time State champion out of Sand Springs, McGuire won his first NCAA title as a sophomore here in 1967.  In 1968 he'd settle for NCAA runner-up honors, reclaiming his throne in his senior season of 1969. 

1967 Champion 137 
Dale Anderson of Michigan State 

A two time Iowa state champion out of Waterloo West, Anderson made All American status his sophomore season with a fifth place finish at the NCAA championships.  Winning the 1967 NCAA title, he would repeat again in 1968.  Also a champion ping-pong player, Anderson later became a professor of law at Michigan State. 

1967 Champion 145
Don Henderson of Air Force 

A three time Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion, Henderson was a junior when he won the NCAA title for the Falcons.  He did not place at the 1968 championships. 

1967 Champion 152
Jim Kamman of Michigan 

Coming to Michigan from Minnesota, Kamman was a senior when he won the NCAA title for the Wolverines. Also placing third as a junior, Kamman later served our country during Vietnam as a member of the Marines. 

1967 Champion 160 
Vic Marcucci of Iowa State 

An Illinois state champion for Reavis High School, Marcucci was a three time All American for the Cyclones. After placing 3rd in 1965 and 2nd in 1966, Marcucci capped off his career with the NCAA title.  He later coached at Iowa, Iowa State and Temple. 

1967 Champion 167 
George Radman of Michigan State 

Based on his nonchalant attitude and easy going demeanor, one might not have expected George Radman to have been the talented grappler that he was.  He once told head coach Grady Peninger that his perspective on a national title as, "hmm, will it help me own my own farm one day?" Nevertheless Radman won a state title for Granby High School in Virginia, winning the national title for the Spartans as a senior in 1967.  Whether or not it helped him in farming later on, that I cannot answer. 

1967 Champion 177 
Fred Fozzard of Oklahoma State 

Taking NCAA runner-up honors in 1966, Fozzard won the NCAA title as a junior in 1967. He would place third at the 1968 NCAA championships.  He later won Bronze at the 1969 World Championships. 

1967 Champion 191
Tom Schlendorf of Syracuse 

Schlendorf was a senior when he won the NCAA title for the Orangemen. 

1967 Champion UNL 
Curley Culp of Arizona State 

A gifted athlete on the football field, Culp played both sides of the ball for the Sun Devils.  Winning the NCAA title in 1967 as a senior, Culp also won the Gorriaran award for the most amount of falls in the least amount of time.  Playing for Denver, Kansas City, Houston and Detroit, Culp had an extremely successful career in the NFL, being a member of a Super Bowl champion team. 

====


Sanders and Caruso previously mentioned 

McGuire would not repeat in 1968, but would repeat in 1969

Anderson repeated in 1968

Henderson and Fozzard would not repeat

Kamman, Marcucci, Radman, Schlendorf and Culp all seniors. 





 

Defending The Title: 1966: Those Who Did and Those Who Did Not Defend The Title

 Lehigh's Mike Caruso won title #2 of 3, as Oklahoma State's Yojiro Uetake won his third crown for the Cowboys.  Greg Ruth of Oklahoma & Tom Peckham of Iowa State ended their careers as two time champions. 

1966 Champion 115
Rick Sanders of Portland State 

The man, the myth, the legend, Rick Sanders is probably the most eccentric and interesting individual we've ever had in wrestling. The purest form of "success cannot be denied" that ever donned a singlet.  A three time state champion out of Lincoln High school, Sanders earned All American honors at the NAIA, NCAA DII and NCAA DI level.  As a freshman in 1965 he won the NAIA title.  As a sophomore in 1966, he took third in NCAA DII and then turned around and did the impossible by winning DI's.  As a junior in 1967 he won both DII and DI.  Then as a senior in 1968 he won DII and finished as the DI NCAA runner-up.   A Pan-American gold medalist in 1967, he won World Bronze in 1966, World Silver in 1967, and Olympic Silver in 1968 and 1972.  Of note, he defeated Dan Gable 6-0. 

We lost Sanders shortly after the 1972 Olympics in a hitchhiking accident.  Perhaps nothing more than an overdramatization, I truly believe that had Rick Sanders lived and kept involved in wrestling in one form or another, that he would have single-handedly changed the entire landscape of our sport. From out mentalities to our practices, our perspectives to our philosophies. He had that kind of effect.  

1966 Champion 137
Gene Davis of Oklahoma State 

A four time state champion out of Montana, Davis was a senior when he won the NCAA title for the Cowboys.  He went on to win an Olympic Bronze medal in 1976. 

1966 Champion 145
Bill Blacksmith of Lock Haven 

A graduate of Cedar Cliff High School, Blacksmith won back to back NAIA titles in 1965 & 1966, capping off his 1966 senior season with an NCAA DI title.  He later coached at Indiana of Pennsylvania, becoming a pastor of the Presbyterian Church. A position he held for 45 years. 

1966 Champion 152
Dick Cook of Michigan State 

A Graduate of Farmington High school, Cook was a senior when he won the NCAA title for the Spartans in 1966.  He went back to coach at Farmington from 1969-1975.  He'd return nearly thirty years later to coach again from 2002-2005. 

1966 champion 167 
Dave Reinbolt of Ohio State 

Reinbolt was a junior when he won the NCAA title for the Buckeyes. As a senior in 1967, he made the NCAA quarterfinals but did not place. 

1966 Champion 191
Bill Harlow of Oklahoma State 

Some argue that Bill Harlow is the best wrestler to ever come out of the state of Tennessee.  A state champion from Sewanee, who wrestled for St. Andrew's, I guess we'll have to ask George McIntyre since his opinion on the subject is the only one that matters.  Competing for the Cowboys Harlow made the NCAA finals in his sophomore and junior campaigns of 1964 and 1965, winning the NCAA title in 1966.  He went 54-5 during his career. 

1966 Champion UNL 
Dave Porter of Michigan 

A truly amazing athlete, Porter racked up 46 tackles on the Wolverine football squad.  Winning NCAA titles in his sophomore and senior seasons of 1966 & 1968, he placed third as a junior in 1967.   Of his 51 career victories, 32 came via fall. 

Post college he had the tools to wrestle in the 1968 Olympics, but he thought a better future lay ahead of him in football, so he went that route instead. Slotted to play for the Cleveland Browns, an injury would end his professional football career before it got started.  He went on to coach at Grand Ledge high school. 


====

Caruso, Uetake, Ruth and Peckham previously mentioned. 

Sanders won another DI title in 1967, taking runner-up in 1968

Davis, Blacksmith, Cook and Harlow were all seniors 

Reinbolt would not repeat 

Porter would not repeat in 1967, but would repeat in 1968

Defending The Title: 1965: Those Who Did and Those Who Didn't Defend The Title

Legendary Yojiro Uetake of Oklahoma State won title #2 of 3, as 1963 champion Jim Nance returned to win a second title after having to medical forfeit out of the 1964 NCAA's. 

1965 Champion 115
Tadaaki Hatta of Oklahoma State 

Son of Ichiro and brother of Masaaki, Tadaaki won back to back BIG 12 titles, winning the NCAA title here as a junior. He finished his senior season placing third at the NCAA tournament.  While we talk of wrestlers who went on to coach at various high schools and colleges, how about coaching different countries? Hatta coached Olympic teams competing for the United States, Japan and Mexico. 

1965 Champion 123
Mike Caruso of Lehigh 

One of the Mountain Hawk's best ever, the St. Benedictine prep (New Jersey) native won NCAA titles in 1965, 1966 and 1967. 

1965 Champion 137
Bill Stuart of Lehigh 

Starting off his career at Brown, Stuart transferred to Lehigh where he won the NCAA here as a junior.  He went on to place third at the 1966 NCAA championships.  He later became an Emergency Room physician at Saints Memorial Medical Center in Lowell, Massachusetts. 

1965 Champion 145 
Veryl Long of Iowa State 

Out of state wrestlers competing for Iowa schools  is a rather common occurrence these days but back in the sixties take away a handful from Minnesota and Illinois, it didn't happen often.  After serving two years in the Army, Long came to Ames all the way from Trinity High school in Pennsylvania where he was a state champion.  Finishing third at the 1963 and fourth at the 1964 championships, Long capped off his Cyclone career with an NCAA title here in 1965.  Post college he returned to the east coast coaching at Montclair State & Duquesne as well as Carrick High School. 

1965 Champion 157 
Bob Kopnisky of Maryland 

I had someone argue with me that Maryland didn't have a wrestling program until 2014.  Looks like they were wrong.  A three time ACC champion, Kopnisky placed fifth at the NCAA championships as a junior in 1964, before capping off his career as champion in 1965.  He then went on to coach at the University of Missouri from 1973 to 1986. 

1965 Champion 167
Greg Ruth of Oklahoma 

Ruth began his career at Lehigh, but transferred to Oklahoma where he won back to back NCAA titles for the Sooners in 1965 and 1966. 

1965 Champion 177 
Tom Peckham of Iowa State 

A three time state champion for Cresco High school, Peckham finished in fourth place at the 1964 NCAA's as a sophomore, winning back to back NCAA titles in 1965 and 1966.  He later finished one match shy of a medal at the 1968 Olympic Games. 

1965 Champion 191
Jack Brisco of Oklahoma State 

I have been under the impression for years that Jack Brisco won the NCAA title for Oklahoma State during his junior season.  Yet I think upon going back and re-researching the topic that he won the NCAA title as a senior.  He was NCAA runner-up in 1964, with no record of competing at either the BIG 12's or the NCAA's in 1966. So not sure if 65' was his senior year or if he was hurt/didn't wrestle for some reason in 66'.  Either way, he didn't repeat as champion.   What he did do however, is go on to an incredibly successful career in professional wrestling.  He held an assortment of titles, including tag team championships alongside brother Gerald. 

=== 


Uetake and Nance mentioned 

Hatta and Stuart did not repeat 

Caruso and Peckham did 

Long, Kopnisky, Ruth and I believe Brisco were all seniors. 

Defending the Title: 1964: Those Who Did and Those Who Did Not Defend the Title

 While Dean Lahr of Colorado would repeat as champion, the rest of the 1964 NCAA titlists all won their first DI title. 

1964 Champion 115 
Terry Finn of Southern Illinois-Carbondale 

Finn settled for three silver medals, losing in the state finals three seasons in a row for Oak Lawn high school.  In college, he'd trade those in for three golds. Winning NCAA Division II titles in 1963 and 1964, he added a DI title to his resume in 1964.  

1964 Champion 123 
Fred Powell of Lock Haven 

A Virginia state champion of famed Granby High School, Powell finished with back to back NAIA runner-up finishes in 1962 and 1963. Winning the NAIA title in 1964, he also won the NCAA Division I title.  Getting into coaching post college, he coached at both the high school and collegiate levels.  While at Slippery Rock, he coached 11 wrestlers to NCAA DI All American status and 12 wrestlers to NCAA DII All American status. 

1964 Champion 130 
Yojiro Uetake of Oklahoma State 

Argued by some as the greatest technician to ever step on a wrestling mat, Uetake was near untouchable.  Winning the NCAA title in 1964, he represented Japan at the Olympics later that summer winning a gold medal. He added two more NCAA titles in 1965 and 1966, winning a second Gold at the 1968 Olympic Games. 

1964 Champion 137 
Mike Sager of Oklahoma 

Sager was a sophomore when he captured the NCAA title for the Sooners.  He'd finish 5th in 1965, taking NCAA Runner-up honors in 1966.  He then went on to coach at Cincinnati, Marshall and Colorado. 

1964 Champion 147 
Jerry Stanley of Oklahoma 

Like teammate Sager, Stanley was a sophomore when he won the NCAA title for the Sooners. He did not compete at the NCAA championships in 1965, but he did come back in 1966 to take third place All American honors. 

1964 Champion 157 
Gordon Hassman of Iowa State 

Competing for New Hampton, Hassman would win an Iowa high school state title as a junior in 1960, finishing as the state runner-up in 1959 and in third place in 1961.  Going 90-5 for the Cyclones his collegiate career would mirror his high school career as he won the NCAA title his junior season of 1964.  He finished in 3rd place in both 1963 and 1965. 

1964 Champion 167
Don Millard of Southern Illinois Carbondale 

A two time Illinois State champion for Pekin High school, Millard had a phenomenal season in 1964 winning a Midlands title, a NCAA Division II title and a NCA Division I title.  He went on to coach high school wrestling in Illinois. 

1964 Champion 191
Harry Houska of Ohio 

A three time MAC champion, Houska was the NCAA runner-up in 1963, capturing the NCAA title in 1964 ending his career with a 76-3 record.  He then went on to coach the Bobcats from 1968-1997.  Winning 11 MAC team titles, he coached 69 wrestlers to individual MAC titles.  This included three top 10 NCAA tournament finishes, producing 13 All Americans. 

1964 Champion UNL
Joe James of Oklahoma State 

Yet another NCAA champion that never won a state title.  The best Joe James did for Tilden Tech High School was finish third at the Illinois state tournament.  While competing for the Cowboys, he was a two time NCAA runner-up in 1962 and 1963, winning the NCAA title as a senior in 1964.  Also a two time Midlands runner-up, James captured Pan-American gold in 1963. 

==== 

Lahr previously mentioned 

Finn, Powell, Millard, Houska and James all seniors 

Uetake would repeat in 1965 and 1966 

Stanley, Sager and Hassman did not repeat 

Defending The Title: 1963: Those Who Did and Those Who Didn't Defend The Title

 1963 was one of the most prolific years in collegiate wrestling for a variety of different reasons.  As discussed in previous "Defending The Title" pieces, with the NAIA holding their first tournament in 1958, the top NAIA wrestlers could compete in the NCAA championships. In 1963 NCAA wrestling split into two divisions, the University Division and the College Division.  Today the College Division is what we know as NCAA Division II, which years later in itself broke into two divisions, also including NCAA Division III.   

Another important fact to note in 1963, is that the NCAA went from recognizing the top four place-winners as All Americans to recognizing the top six.   

Mickey Martin of Oklahoma won his second NCAA title as Mike Natvig of the Army also won his second NCAA title. 

1963 Champion 115
Bucky Maughan of Minnesota-Moorhead 

An NAIA champion for the Dragons in 1962 & 1963, Maughan added a NCAA title to his impressive resume in 1963.  Post college he became one of the most successful and recognized coaches in NCAA Division II wrestling leading the North Dakota State Bison to 29 top 10 finishes at the National tournament, which included winning titles in 1988, 1998, 2000 and 2001.  Winning 369 duels, he coached 27 NCAA Division II champions.  Of note, Maughan was always very vocal in his opposition to smaller division wrestling programs being forced to move up to compete at the NCAA Division I level.  He feels this led to the fall of Portland State wrestling, Slippery Rock, SIU-Carbondale, & a number of other successful DII teams that had difficulty transitioning to the DI level. When NDSU and South Dakota State were both forced to move from DII to DI, he spent a great deal of time and effort helping various wrestlers transfer to other DII programs.  It's an interesting perspective that hasn't been explored or discussed much. 

1963 Champion 123
Mike Nissen of Nebraska 

While not near as celebrated as teams like Iowa, Penn State and Oklahoma State, the University of Nebraska has a right in many ways to call itself a wrestling school.  Along with Michigan, I can make a convincing argument that the Huskers may be the top team yet to win an NCAA title.  Their legacy started here in 1963, with Mike Nissen winning the NCAA title as a senior.  He placed 3rd in 1962 as a junior.  Post college, he worked for Mid-American Dairymen. 

1963 Champion 137 
Bill Dotson of Northern Iowa 

A two time state champion for Waterloo East high school, Bill Dotson is the answer to a fun trivia question. Who was the first wrestler in the history of NCAA wrestling to win both a DII and a DI title?  Answer? Bill Dotson.  After finishing as the runner-up at the NCAA tournament in 1962, he added two gold medals to his collection winning DII and DI titles in 1963.  Post college Dotson coached at both the high school and collegiate level.  Dubuque, Waterloo East and Charles City high schools, then at Western State, Northern Michigan and New Mexico at the collegiate level. 

1963 Champion 157
Kirk Pendleton of Lehigh 

A three time EIWA champion, the only losses Kirk Pendleton ever faced in his illustrious career were in the 1961 & 1962 NCAA finals. Yet in 1963, he would not be denied as he won the NCAA final.  Winning 64 matches, 33 of them were by fall. 

1963 Champion 167 
Jim Harrison of Pittsburgh 

Harrison was a senior when he won the NCAA title for the Panthers. 

1963 Champion 177
Dean Lahr of Colorado 

A graduate of Denver North High School, Lahr won two BIG 12 titles, finishing as the NCAA runner-up in 1962 as a sophomore before winning back to back NCAA titles in 1963 and 1964.  An Olympian in 1964 Lahr, coached at both Pittsburgh and Oregon State. 

1963 Champion 191 
Yogi Barden 

1963 was quite a successful year for Barden as he not only won the NCAA title for the Wolverines, but upon graduation won a gold medal at the Pan-American championships.  A doctor in Belleville, Michigan, Barden coached for a short time at Notre Dame. 

1963 Champion UNL
Jim Nance of Syracuse 

Seeing he was too big to compete at the 185 lbs weight class, the State of Pennsylvania added a HWT class to their state championships.  A three time EIWA champion, Nance won the NCAA title as a sophomore in 1963.  Injury would see him finish one match shy of All American status in 1964, but he would come back strong to win a second NCAA title in 1965.  A force to be reckoned with on the gridiron, he had success in both the AFL and the WFL. 

==== 

Natvig and Martin previously mentioned 

A great year for seniors in Maughan, Nissen, Dotson, Pendleton, Harrison and Barden 

Lahr repeated in 1964

Nance did not repeat in 1964 but did repeat again in 1965