Greg Jones of West Virginia came back to earn title #2 as Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State as well as Damion Hahn of Minnesota both finished off their illustrious careers with title #2.
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| 2004 Champion 125 Jason Powell of Nebraska |
In the summer of 2003 I attended a team camp at the University of Nebraska. I asked Powell if he was gonna win the NCAA title the next season. "Yep" is all he said and a man of his word, not only did he win the NCAA title, he did so in fashion winning his final collegiate match by technical fall. Along with ending his career as the NCAA champion, the three time Oklahoma state champion from Choctaw high school was also 5th in the nation as a sophomore and 3rd in the nation as a junior. Ironically enough, the only year he won a BIG 12 title was the only year he did not place at Nationals. Post college he coached at Nebraska, Oregon and Maryland.
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| 2004 Champion 133 Zach Roberson of Iowa State |
A four time Kansas state champion for Blue Valley Northwest High school, Roberson had a standout career in college competing for the Iowa State Cyclones. 7th in the nation as a sophomore in 2002, he was 4th as a junior in 2003. Despite never winning a BIG 12 title during his career, Roberson finished a top the award stand with the NCAA title in 2004 as a senior. I had the privilege of sitting next to Roberson's biggest fan that NCAA tournament, Bill Maroney, who's late son Derek was one of Roberson's best friends. While during their careers, Roberson and Oklahoma State's Johnny Thompson were vicious rivals, Thompson was one of the first people to shake Roberson's hand and congratulate him on the national title post winning. A few months after the NCAA tournament, I received a poster in the mail, signed by Johnny Thompson. The way I understand it, Bill talked to Zach, who then talked to Johnny who then got the poster and sent it to me. Not a story for everyone I guess, but having been in this sport for 30 years, I've made far more friends than I ever have enemies. Yes, it is a sport of great rivalry and intensity, but it is also a sport of great respect and comradery too. Think that was very cool of Zach to do that for me.
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| 2004 Champion 141 Cliff Moore of Iowa |
A three time state champion for Dubuque Hempstead, Moore went 109-24 for the Hawkeyes during his collegiate career. He didn't quite finish where he wanted to in 2002 and 2003, having back to back 6th place finishes, but it all came together for him in his senior season of 2004. Post finishing his career as the NCAA champion, he coached at Iowa, Edinboro and West Virginia.
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| 2004 Champion 149 Jesse Jantzen of Harvard |
A post ago I talked about the best wrestler to ever come out of Hawaii and now I think I make an argument for the best wrestler to ever come out of New York. Not only did Jantzen win four state titles for Shoreham Wading River High school, he also placed at the state championships in both his seventh and eighth grade years. While competing for the Crimson, Jantzen used one of the most brutal and vicious crab rides securing back to back 3rd place finishes in his sophomore and junior seasons of 2002 and 2003 before winning the NCAA title as a senior in 2004. Post college Jantzen has been successful in the world of business as well as in the world of entertainment. Having various roles, if you have seen the film Foxcatcher, Janzten choreographed all of the wrestling scenes. Jantzen's brother Corey also competed for the Crimson.
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| 2004 Champion 157 Matt Gentry of Stanford |
Coming from Grants Pass, Oregon, Gentry had a great career for the Cardinal going 138-25 during his career. His NCAA title came in 2004 as a junior, as he finished one match shy of All American status in both his sophomore and senior seasons. Post college, representing Canada he won Pan-American Gold medals in both 2007 and 2011.
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| 2004 Champion 165 Troy Letters of Lehigh |
A two time state champion for Shaler high school, Letters made immediate impact for the Mountain Hawks claiming NCAA runner-up honors in 2003 as a freshman. His NCAA title would come in his sophomore season of 2004 as he placed 3rd in 2005 as a junior. Unfortunately Letter's senior year would be hampered by severe injuries that saw him miss almost the entire season. He tried to make a comeback at the end of the year, but his injuries got the best of him and he did not place at the NCAA tournament. He later coached at Penn State, Princeton and Clarion.
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| 2004 Champion 174 Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State |
If you're the type of fan that enjoyed watching wrestlers score a lot of points, then you would have enjoyed watching Chris Pendleton of Oklahoma State. The California state champion out of Lemoore high school seemed to rack points up in nearly every match he wrestled. Finishing 3rd at the NCAA's as a sophomore in 2003, he won back to back NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005. He coached at Arizona State and is now heading Oregon State.
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Jones, Hahn and Rowlands previously mentioned
Pendleton repeated in 2005
Gentry and Letters did not repeat
Powell, Roberson, Moore and Jantzen were all seniors
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