Defending the Title: 1959: Those Who Did and Those Who Didn't Defend The Title

 Ron Gray of Iowa State and Dick Beattie of Oklahoma State both won their second NCAA titles. 

1959 Champion 115 
Andy Fitch of Yale 

Interestingly enough Fitch was never able to capture an EIWA title during his collegiate career, finishing third in 1958 and runner-up in 1959.  Despite settling for silver in the conference, he would garner gold in the nation winning the NCAA title here as a senior.  Wrestling internationally he earned Pan-American gold in 1963.  He later tried to start a league of folkstyle professional wrestling. 

1959 Champion 123 
Dave Auble of Cornell 

A graduate of Ithaca High School, Auble won three EIWA titles for the Big Red, winning NCAA titles in 1959 and in 1960. He lost only once during his illustrious career, getting upset at the NCAA's in 1958, going 51-1 overall.  Competing internationally he finished one match shy of a medal at both the Olympic games and the World championships.  Post his own wrestling career he had a colorful coaching career having stints at UCLA, Campbell, Cornell, Michigan State, Indiana, Stanford and North Carolina State. 

1959 Champion 130 
Stan Able of Oklahoma 

More so known for his time as a coach, Stan Able was still an outstanding wrestler in his own right capturing NCAA titles for the Sooners in both 1959 and 1960.  As a coach of the Sooners, he led the crimson and cream to three BIG 12 titles and the 1974 NCAA team title.  This included winning 279 duals, producing 14 NCAA champions and 71 All Americans. 

1959 Champion 137
Larry Hayes of Iowa State 

A state champion out of Des Moines Lincoln, Hayes won three NCAA titles for the Cyclones in 1959, 1960 and 1961.  A U.S. Marine, he later coached at both Jesup and Des Moines Lincoln. 

1959 Champion 167
Ed Hamer of Lehigh 

Also a member of the Lehigh golf team, Hamer won the NCAA title as a senior.  He later coached both wrestling and golf for the mountain hawks, also the owner of a furniture store. 

1959 Champion 177 
Jim Craig of Iowa 

A state champion out of Britt, Craig won the NCAA title as a senior after finishing third at the NCAA's as a junior in 1958.  Post college he coached at Oak Lawn high school in Illinois where in his final season, he led his team to a runner-up finish at the state championships.  He later officiated. 

1959 Champion 191 
Art Baker of Syracuse

Art Baker to this day holds a record that will probably never be broken. He is the only athlete in the history of NCAA Division I to ever win NCAA titles in both football and wrestling in the same season.  He later played professional football in both the CFL and the NFL

1959 Champion UNL 
Ted Ellis of Oklahoma State 

A two time state champion out of Blackwell high school, Ellis won the NCAA title for the Cowboys as a junior, taking runner-up honors in 1961 as a senior.  He later coached football at Blackwell, while working various factory jobs in the area. 

=== 

Gray and Beattie previously mentioned 

Ellis did not repeat as champion 

Auble, Abel, and Hayes went on to win more titles 

Fitch, Hamer, Craig and Baker all four seniors