Defending the Title: 1949: Those Who Did and Those Who Didn't Defend Their Titles

 Half of the champions crowned in 1949 were champions of previous years. 

Purdue's Arnold Plaza won his second NCAA title, as he would finish runner-up in 1950. 

Lowell Lange of Cornell (IA) won his second NCAA title as a junior after winning his first NCAA title as a freshman in 1947.  He'd win a third NCAA title as a senior in 1950. 

Like Lange, Bill Nelson of Northern Iowa won his second NCAA title as a junior after winning his first NCAA title as a freshman in 1947.  He too would win a third NCAA title as a senior in 1950. 

Vern Gagne of Minnesota  who had won the NCAA title at 191 as a junior, bumped up to upend the seemingly undefeatable Dick Hutton in Hutton's only loss, to finish his career at Minnesota as a two time NCAA champion. 

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Charlie Hetrick of Oklahoma State 

Hetrick was a junior the year he won the NCAA title for the Cowboys in 1949.  Keep in mind that at this time only the top four were awarded All American Status, as Hetrick finished one match shy of placing in 1950. Post college, Hetrick saw great success as a high school wrestling coach at various schools in Oklahoma. All in all he coached three teams to state titles, 26 individuals to state titles, and 12 of his wrestlers went on to make the NCAA finals. 

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Keith Young of Northern Iowa 

Starting out on the varsity team at Algona High School, Young had a pretty respectable first year going 8-2.  He looked poised for a great prep career, but unfortunately Algona dropped its wrestling program during World War II.  Despite not having a wrestling program his final two years of high school, Young decided that his wrestling days were postponed, not over.  Entering Northern Iowa, Young would wrestle 95 matches during his career, winning 90 of them in route to becoming a three time NCAA champion.  

Post college he coached at Blue Earth High School in Minnesota, then came back to Iowa to coach at Osage and Cedar Falls.  He had 243 duel victories as a coach. 

1949 Champion 165 
Bill Smith of Northern Iowa 

Add yet another NCAA champion to your list that never won a state title.  While attending Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson, Smith had finishes of second and third. Not to be denied in college, Smith won his first NCAA title here as a junior, repeating again as a senior in 1950.  You can also add Smith to the list of Olympic Gold Medalist that never won a state title as he took home the gold in 1952.   He then turned his attention to coaching, coaching at all levels from high school to international clubs.  He coached at Nebraska, San Jose State and San Francisco State. 

1949 Champion 175
Jim Gregson of Oklahoma State 

Cowboy Jim Gregson is remembered for a variety reasons at Oklahoma State.  Winner of the 1949 NCAA title, he would take the next six seasons of to serve in the United States Military before returning to Stillwater for a final season in 1956.  Despite the long lay off, he returned to form in no time, making the NCAA finals yet again, this time finishing second.  Although a NCAA champion and two time finalist for the Cowboys, what Gregson is probably best known for is being the one man thought to have a shot at Oklahoma's Danny Hodge. 

While Hodge had went out and toyed with just about everyone he wrestled, he had to work to take Gregson down, as Gregson got a legit escape in a 5-1 loss.   Wanting to see Gregson Vs Hodge part two, 8,200 fans gathered to see Gregson hold Hodge to another decision, this time a 6-0 loss.