I'm not exactly sure when Garden City started their wrestling program, nor am I positive of when they discontinued. What I can tell you is that the Broncbusters were very good when they had a wrestling program. This included winning NJCAA team championships in 1992, 1994 & 1995, among countless NJCAA All Americans, individual finalists & champions. Cornell NCAA champion Jordan Leen's father Mark coached here for a spell. Today we'll take a look at a few.
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| Katsumi Suzuki |
Suzuki earned NJCAA All American honors for the Broncbusters as he would later transfer to Oklahoma State where he took 2nd at the BIG 12 championships in 1968.
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| Eric Koehler |
Before coming to Garden City, Eric Koehler won a Kansas high School state title defeating Melvin Douglas in the finals 12-11. He then earned NJCAA All American honors for the Broncbusters, later finishing up his collegiate wrestling career at Nebraska.
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| Kevin Bonin |
Kevin Bonin came to Garden City from Louisiana where he placed 5th in the High School State championships in 1982 for Jeanerette. He was an NJCAA All American for the Broncbusters in 1984. I believe, but have yet to confirm that he is related to David Bonin who later earned All American honors for Northern Iowa.
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| Sonny Bachicha |
Sonny Bachicha had an unconventional collegiate wrestling career. After winning three Colorado high School state titles for Fort Lupton, he began his college career at Northern Colorado. After his freshman season, he transferred to Garden City where he earned NJCAA All American honors (some records claim 4th, while others claim 5th). He then transferred back to Northern Colorado where he qualified for the NCAA DII championships but did not get to participate as he failed to make weight. He later coached and officiated at the high school level.
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| Sam Geraci |
A three time Illinois state finalist for Lake Park High, Sam Geraci began his collegiate wrestling career at Indiana. During his freshman season of 1988-1989, he is probably most remembered for his 8-7 victory over Cary Kolat at the Midlands championships. He then transferred to Garden City where he won the 1990 NJCAA championships. Some records indicate that he continued his wrestling career at Hofstra, but others state that he gave up wrestling & went other directions with his life post his sophomore season.
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| T.J. Marcaurele |
What T.J. Marcaurele was able to accomplish his sophomore season for the Broncbusters is quite incredible when you take it all into consideration. Competing at 158 lbs as a freshman during the 1992-1993 season, his coach no longer had room for him at 158 when he returned as a sophomore. In fact, if he wanted to be on the varsity lineup, the only open spot was 118 lbs. Marcaurele made the 40 lbs weight cut as he made it all the way to the NJCAA finals with a 28-0 record. He would lose a close match in the finals, but still a courageous as well as impressive performance. He would then transfer to North Carolina State, but ultimately decide to give up collegiate wrestling to put more focus into Sombo.
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| Joey Wildasin |
A three time Pennsylvania High School State champion for South Western, Joey Wildasin won back to back NJCAA titles for the Broncbusters in 1991 & 1992. He went on to wrestle for Oklahoma State.
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| Jason Roach |
Jason Roach won back to back NJCAA titles for the Broncbusters in 1989 & 1990. He then wrestled for Cornell (NY).
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| Johnny Lightner |
Johnny Lightner had an outstanding career for the Broncbusters, winning back to back NJCAA titles in 1967 & 1968. He was also a Traphagen (the Gorriaran award for the NJCAA) award winner in 1968. He went on to compete for the Oklahoma State Cowboys where he took back to back BIG 12 runner-up honors in 1969 & 1970.
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| Trent London |
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| Franky James |
Franky James earned NJCAA runner-up status for the Broncbusters in 1994 as a sophomore. He then transferred to Oklahoma where he wrestled his junior season. For this final season he transferred to Carson-Newman. Today he is the head coach of Campbellsville.
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| Mark Strickland |
One of the many outstanding products produced by Great Bridge, Mark Strickland was a two time Virginia high school state champion. He'd win the NJCAA title for the Broncbusters as a freshman, transferring to Oklahoma State for this sophomore and junior seasons. In his final season of collegiate competition, Strickland would compete for Old Dominion where he not only won the CAA Conference title, he was named the most outstanding wrestler.
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| Jeremy Manney |
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| Tony Llanusa |
Tony Llanusa came to Garden City from Choctaw High School where he was a two time Oklahoma High School State champion. Winning an NJCAA title for the Broncbusters, he would then transfer to North Carolina where he was an ACC champion.
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| Jeremiah Constant |
"Hacksaw" Jeremiah Constant earned NJCAA runner-up honors for the Broncbusters before transferring to UT-Chattanooga for his sophomore season. He would spend his final two seasons at Central Oklahoma where he was 3rd at the NCAA Division II Championships as a junior, capturing an NCAA DII title as a senior.
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| Brooks Levonitis |
An NJCAA runner-up for Garden City, Brooks Levonitis later competed for Central Oklahoma.
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