Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Idaho State

Whenever anyone thinks of collegiate wrestling in the state of Idaho, they think of two programs. The legendary North Idaho Cardinals, one of the best teams in NJCAA wrestling (Currently ranked #3 in the country with seven wrestlers ranked in the top ten) & the once prominent Boise State Broncos who we lost due to unfortunate circumstances a few years back.

Yet another team that should be as sorely missed as is BSU, is Idaho State.  While it was longer ago, the wrestling program started by Dean Thomas in the 1956-1957 season & ended thirty years later in the 1986-1987 season, was pretty good.  They won eight BIG SKY conference team titles & had some great wrestlers.  Today we take a look at a few of them.

126 lbs
John Berry

A two time NCAA qualifier for the Bengals, John Berry found his real calling in coaching.  He took over the Sugar Salem High program in 1976 & led the team to ten Idaho high school state championships.  Fifty eight of his wrestlers won state titles.  He was named coach of the year on six occasions & his final dual record was 434-42.

137 lbs
Rick Yates

Another great in Bengal wrestling history is Rick Yates who wrestled for Idaho State during a time when they were Division II.  He placed third at the NCAA DII tournament in 1968.

142 & 134 lbs
Bruce Burnett

Before coming to Idaho State, Bruce Burnett wrestled for North Bakersfield high school in California.  He never qualified for the state championships although he did win two league titles & a sectional title.  He spent his first two seasons wrestling for Bakersfield Community College where he really came alive.  He won both the 1969 & the 1970 CCCAA titles, being named the outstanding wrestler of the 1970 tournament.   Wrestling for the Bengals he won two BIG SKY conference titles in 1971 & 1972.

Post college Burnett would have an outstanding coaching career.  He started off at Meridan High school in Idaho where he was named coach of the year on seven occasions.  He lead his team to an overall record of 142-13.  He then became an assistant coach at Oklahoma State for a short stint before becoming one of the coaches for team USA in freestyle.  He was on the coaching staff for both the 1996 & 2000 Olympic games.  His final coaching stint was for the Navy.  He led the midshipmen to a dual record of 41-23.

150 lbs
Tim Fisher

A BIG SKY conference champion Tim Fisher qualified for the NCAA championships in 1971, 72' & 73'.

167 lbs
John Caccia Jr

His father John "Babe" Caccia was a two time conference champion at rival Idaho, who also helped to reinstate their program for a short amount of time in the late 60's/early 70's.  John Jr, a graduate of Pocatello high, won three Idaho state titles in 1966, 1967 & 1968.

If I had to name the Bengals best wrestler, he would have to be it.  He placed 4th at the 1970 NCAA championships & then came back in 1972 to place third.

Post college he moved to Australia where he taught P.E. & math while coaching wrestling.

160 lbs
Harry Oliphant

Another great during the Bengals time in NCAA Division II was Harry Oliphant.  Oliphant took fifth at the 1968 DII's.

191 lbs
Carlton Tanaka 

Right up there with Oliphant also taking fifth at the 1968 NCAA Division II tournament is Carlton Tanaka.

HWT
Arnie Bagley

A standout on the gridiron. A standout on the mat. A beautiful singing voice. There was little that former HWT Arnie Bagley couldn't do.  He was the only four time NCAA qualifier in school history, winning four BIG SKY conference titles.

David Pacheco
167, 150 lbs 

Pacheco wrestled for Sacramento City in the CCCAA for two seasons before coming to Idaho State & winning two BIG Sky Titles for the Bengals.  He later returned to Sacramento City as their head coach.  

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Jose State

When University president Gail Fullerton & athletic director Vern Wagner announced that after 52 years Spartan wrestling was coming to an end, San Jose State offered the only ROTC in the state of California.  Mike Christy the head coach of nearby Leland High School said that with SJSU wrestling discontinuing his kids & the kids of other local programs no longer had a place close to home to wrestle.  He said that it would have a negative effect on the local high school programs, the local CCCAA programs and other collegiate programs in the state.  Wagner fired back that it was hard to keep wrestling as other schools had already dropped and it made scheduling difficult.   Shane Baum who had came to SJSU after finishing as the state runner up for Belmond high school in Iowa, said that there weren't many places for someone to wrestle in a warm climate.  Now there was even less.

The San Jose State Spartans were a powerhouse in the state of California at the conference level.  They won four Pacific Coast Conference South Division titles, seven BIG WEST Conference titles and in their last thirteen seasons, won ten Pacific Coast Athletic Association team titles.   Altogether 21 conference titles & they finished in ninth place at the 1982 NCAA's.

Even with the wrestling coach offering to coach without a salary & the wrestlers on the team who were on scholarship offering to wrestle without scholarship, Wagner stated that wrestling would not continue unless $60,000 was raised by June 30th.   The announcement to drop wrestling was made in April.

With the vast amount of high school talent the state of California has produced & the dwindling of collegiate programs for the kids to wrestle at, I could go on and on with my anger and frustration.   Yet, I'm not writing these articles to focus on the negative. I write them to focus on the positive.  San Jose State produced some phenomenal talent.  Let's take a look at some of them.

118 lbs
Don Kida

A four time Sectional champion out of Monte Vista high school, to give you an idea of how much Don Kida loved SJSU wrestling he was the head coach who offered to coach without a salary when the program was dropped in 1985.  A two time All American for the Spartans he finished in fifth place at the 1973 NCAA's and in 4th at the 1974.  He made the Pan-American team in 1979 and later coached at Steele Canyon high school.

126 & 134 lbs
Eddie Baza

A native of Sunnyvale, Baza was one of the best in Spartan history.  Winning four PCAA titles he placed fifth at the 1981 NCAA's and finished off his career with a fourth place finish at the 1982 NCAA's.  Also placing sixth at the Midlands tournament, Baza had a 133-27 record.

142 lbs
Robert McDowell

After placing fourth at the California state championships in 1974, McDowell was a two time NCAA qualifier for SJSU placing third at the Midlands tournament on two occasions.

158 lbs
Darryl Pope 

A state champion out of Escalon High school Darryl Pope would finish in fifth place at the NCAA's in 1983.  He later transferred to Cal State Bakersfield where he finished as the NCAA runner up in 1987.   His son Kyle wrestled for Wyoming a few years ago.

150 lbs
Reggie Thompson 

An NCAA qualifier for the Spartans in 1981, Reggie Jackson placed twice at the Midlands earning fourth and third place finishes.

167 & 177 lbs
Dave Brouhard

A graduate of Salinas high school, Dave Brouhard had a standout senior year in 1981 for the Spartans.  He placed fifth at the prestigious Midland's championships and then placed eighth at the NCAA tournament.

177 lbs
Marvin Jones

A graduate of Santa Ana Valley, Marvin Jones placed fourth at the Midlands and eighth at the 1984 NCAA championships.

167 & 190 lbs
Andy Tsarnas

A legend at Healdsburg high school, when he took third in the 1980 California state tournament, he became the first wrestler in the history of Greyhound wrestling to place at state.  He took his 85-15 record to San Jose State where he won three PCAA titles & a fourth place finish at the Midlands accumulating a 127-23 career record.   His sons Andrew and Matt both won three league titles a piece for Healdsburg.

HWT
Don Jackson 

Jackson was a three time NCAA qualifier for the Spartans

HWT
Jerry Morrison

A state champion for Leland High School, Morrison qualified for the NCAA tournament on three occasions.


As you can see SJSU provided a great home for nearby local high school talent to continue wrestling while pursuing a higher education. It's a shame we lost a program with such a rich history that was clearly beloved.

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Diego State

Three time Pacific Coast Conference South Division champions the Aztecs of San Diego State were always a solid team on the west coast.  A part of the mystery that often comes with these dropped programs is that I'm not exactly sure of all the times SDSU had wrestling and when they did not. I know that they dropped and reinstated at least once if not more times.  The last they reinstated was for a short stint in the late 80's/early 90's when they had some success & dropped immediately after.  As to the details of why the program was reinstated & then why it dropped again so quickly, I do not know.  Would love to know if anyone can fill me in.

191 lbs
Robert Grimes

As to who the Aztecs standout wrestlers were, I'm going to have to go with one of them being Robert Grimes attorney at law in San Diego area for the past forty years.  He finished as the NCAA runner up in 1969.

177 lbs
Quincy Clark

Quincy Clark didn't start wrestling until his junior year of high school but it didn't take him long to catch on.  By the end of his senior year he was seventh in the state of California.  Upon the reinstatement of San Diego State wrestling, Clark was one of the best to wrestle for the Aztecs capturing seventh place at the NCAA tournament.  I believe it was around this time that SDSU dropped their program.

Clark would transfer to Oklahoma for his senior year where he finished as the NCAA runner-up.  He then had a career in Greco-Roman making the 1998 World team, the 2000 Olympic team and winning a Silver medal at the Pan-American Championships.

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Colorado State

Another great program in the state of Colorado made up of mostly local recruits was Colorado State. The Rams had an excellent wrestling team that won multiple conference titles, nine in all between three conferences.  They won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Association team title six times, the Skyline Conference title twice and the Western Athletic Conference once.  At the NCAA level, the Rams finished in the top ten on three occasions.

115 lbs
Gil Sanchez

A three time Skyline Conference Champion, Gil Sanchez made the NCAA finals his senior year of 1963.  His son, who was also named Gil, made the NCAA finals for the University of Nebraska.  During John Smith's junior and senior seasons at Oklahoma State when he won two NCAA titles, he only lost once.  His solo loss was to Gil jr, 13-6.

123 lbs
Claude Gonzales

A two time state champion from Grand Junction, Claude Gonzales was a three time NCAA qualifier for the Rams.

130,137 lbs
Ron Day

One of the best in Ram wrestling history, Ron Day finished in fourth place at the NCAA championships as a junior and would cap off his senior season of 1956 as the Skyline Conference champion and an NCAA runner-up.

142 lbs
Tim Williams 

A two time NCAA qualifier for the Rams, Williams placed fifth at the 1973 NCAA's as a junior.

155 lbs
Don "Tuffy" Mullison

Don Mullison first came to Colorado State in 1942 to play football but both his career on the gridiron and his education were interrupted by World War II.  He would serve his country as a paratrooper, returning to Colorado State a few years later.   This time he decided to add wrestling and baseball to his resume of athletics.  In Football, he was a member of the Rams Raisin Bowl appearance.  He played shortstop on the baseball team and he placed third at the 1948 NCAA tournament as a junior.

Post college he coached both football and wrestling at CSU.  He sadly lost Mullison in 2014.

157 lbs
Dan Sniff

Dan Sniff had an outstanding junior campaign for the Rams in 1953 winning a Skyline conference title and taking runner-up honors at the NCAA tournament.  Unfortunately as a senior in 1954, while wrestling in the Skyline conference finals, he broke his ankle ending his career as a wrestler.

Post college, Sniff got into coaching.  He lead the Lamar Community College Runnin' Lopes (another team we've lost) to the 1959 NJCAA team title.   During his life Sniff has worked hard through fundraising and other ways to try and reinstate wrestling at both Colorado State and Lamar CC.

177 lbs
Ken Hines

A three time NCAA tournament participant, Ken Hines placed fifth at the 1963 NCAA tournament. In the year that Jack Brisco of Oklahoma State won the NCAA title, it is said that he did so undefeated.   That is true, he never did lose a match that season.  However, he did get tied once and that tie was to Hines.

191 lbs
Nick Kohls

Also a member of the Rams football team, Kohls took runner up honors his junior season of 1961 at the NCAA tournament.

HWT
Willis "Tuffy" Holland

Ironically enough I list another individual with the nickname of "Tuffy" on the list of all time greats in Colorado State wrestling history.  A member of the 1956 Skyline Conference football team, Willis Holland won two Skyline conference titles placing fourth at both the 1955 & 1956 NCAA wrestling championships.   Would you ever guess as to who his football and wrestling coach was? Don "Tuffy" Mullison.

Post college, Holland went into the Army and later headed a successful chemical company.  We sadly lost Holland in 2016.

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Colorado

Football, football, football...The University of Colorado is one of those schools that when it comes to their athletics program, football is what you think about.  While the Buffaloes have always had great football, at one time they were quite good at another sport.  Wrestling.

The Buffaloes finished in the top 10 at the NCAA wrestling tournament on five occasions with their highest finish being fourth in 1964. In their final year of wrestling 1979-1980 they had six NCAA qualifiers & an All American. They were ranked in the top twenty-five.

115 lbs
James Garcia

When James Garcia was a small boy, he contracted Polio and doctors were convinced that he would never walk again.  Not only did he walk again, literally becoming the poster child for March of dimes, he accumulated a 95-5 career record on the high school wrestling team.  Continuing his career at Colorado, Garcia would place third at the 1965 BIG 12 wrestling championships and take sixth place All American honors at the NCAA wrestling championships.

115 lbs
Dell Rhodes 

A local standout from Boulder high school where he won two state titles, Dell Rhodes won a BIG 12 title in 1967, placing fifth at the NCAA tournament.

118 lbs
Chuckie Davis

A native of Grove City, Chuckie Davis made the Colorado state finals twice before coming to Colorado to wrestle for the Buffaloes.  He placed fourth at the NCAA tournament in 1976 and made the BIG 12 finals in 1978.

126 lbs
Marvin Gasner 

From Denver, Colorado, Marvin Gasner won a state title for Lincoln high school in 1975.  A three time NCAA qualifier, Gasner won one of the last BIG 12 titles for the Buffaloes in 1980.

130 lbs
Linn Long 

The legendary Linn Long fell in love with wrestling the day he was introduced to the sport in the fifth grade. He attended every home dual of the Colorado Buffalo and made up his mind that one day he was going to wrestle for them.  Upon arrival he made immediate impact making the BIG 12 finals three years in a row.  He finished in third place at the NCAA tournament his senior year of 1954.  Upon graduation he coached the Buffaloes to a record of 85-59-3, which included the 1964 fourth place finish at the BIG 12's.  He also coached at Southern Illinois-Carbondale (another program we have lost).

130 lbs
Jim Hanson 

From Adam City, Jim Hanson finished as a Colorado state runner-up before coming to Colorado.  While competing for the Buffaloes Hanson had a standout sophomore season which saw him make the BIG 12 finals and finish as the NCAA runner-up.  He'd finish in third place at the BIG 12's as a junior but fail to place at the NCAA's.  He'd take a redshirt in 1966, coming back strong in 1967 as a senior winning the BIG 12's and placing fourth at the NCAA's.

130 lbs
Pete Nord 

The friendly "every knew him" owner of Chimney's restaurant it was hard to believe that the late Pete Nord was at one time a fierce competitor on the mat who served our country during Vietnam, but he was.  Competing for the Buffaloes, Nord finished as the BIG 12 runner up in 1966 before placing third in 1967 and 1968.  He had a great showing at the 1968 NCAA tournament earning All American honors with a fifth place finish.

126 & 134 lbs
Derek Glenn 

The final All American for Colorado, Olympic gold medalist Randy Lewis, a two time NCAA champion for Iowa would be more than happy to tell you how tough Derek Glenn was.  Wrestling for Smokey High school, Glenn finished as a Colorado state finalist his sophomore year before winning two state titles.   He'd win a BIG 12 title his sophomore season but it was after finishing in third place as a junior he really came alive.

Entering the tournament unseeded, he tore through everyone pinning the #12, #9 & #5 seeds all in the first period. In the semi-finals he gave Lewis one Hell of a scare taking him to an 8-7 decision.  He then majored his final two opponents to finish in third place.

Forced to find a new home for his final season of competition Glenn had an outstanding regular season competing for the Oklahoma Sooners.  He entered the NCAA tournament as the #1 seed, but unfortunately failed to place after being upset early on.

152 & 145 lbs
Conrad Metcalf 

I'm not sure where it's written down at but it must be an official rule that if you're last name is Metcalf then you must be good at wrestling. Conrad Metcalf, another local of Boulder High School, won a state title before coming to Colorado.   Selected as a wildcard entrant after finishing in fourth place at the BIG 12's, Metcalf took fifth at the 1969 NCAA tournament.

167, 177
Royal Smith  

Another standout for the Buffaloes was Royal Smith who made the NCAA finals in 1954.

167 & 177
Frank Rosenmayr 

After making the BIG 12 finals, Frank Rosenmayr placed third at the 1955 NCAA tournament.

177 lbs
Maynard Skinner 

All these years later 1952 BIG 12 champion Maynard Skinner will still tell you that he won a NCAA title even though the official record stands that he finished as the runner-up losing to California's (another program we've lost) Bentley Lyon on a referee's decision.  Skinner didn't agree with the referee then and 68 years later he still doesn't agree with him. 

Nevertheless one to always make his opinion known, Skinner served our country as a member of the United States Marines & then made a life in local politics. A sport like wrestling, but with far more dirty players, who don't mind cheating to win....at least according to Skinner.

177 lbs
Dean Lahr 

A state champion in wrestling, quarterback of the football team and a standout on the track team, Denver North's Dean Lahr could've been a superstar on any team at Colorado he chose.  Luckily enough for us, he chose wrestling.   Finishing as the BIG 12 runner up in 1962 as a sophomore, he'd also finish as the NCAA runner-up.  Not much for losing Lahr would go on to win two BIG 12 titles and two NCAA titles for the Buffaloes in 1963 & 1964.   He also made the 1964 Olympic team and if it wasn't for a nasty injury that kept him from competition it is thought that he would have earned a medal.

177 lbs
Bob Justice 

Another graduate of Lincoln high where he won a state championship, Bob Justice adds his name to a list of individuals who won a National title without ever winning a conference title.  After finishing in second place at the BIG 12 tournament, Justice won the 1968 NCAA title.  He looked destined for greatness again in 1969 going into the BIG 12 tournament undefeated and thought to be poised to win a second NCAA title.  Unfortunately he suffered an injury in the BIG 12 finals having to default to second place.  He was unable to participate in the NCAA championships.

190, 177
Bill Bragg

A stand out from Fort Marsh where he finished in third and second at the Colorado state tournament, Bill Bragg was a four time BIG 12 place-winner finishing third, second, fourth, third in four tournaments.  He finished in third place at the NCAA tournament as a sophomore.  He would later go on to coach at Oregon (another team that we've lost).

191 lbs
Jack Himmelwright 

Jack Himmelwright finished in fourth place at the NCAA tournament for the Buffaloes in 1957.


As you can see Colorado didn't have to recruit outside the state to field a solid team full of individuals who had success at both the BIG 12 and NCAA level. They were able to do so with local recruits, some even from Boulder.

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Yale

What would be one of the oldest collegiate wrestling programs in the country, Yale Bulldog wrestling began in the 1903-1904 season.  It came to an end after the 1990-1991 season. If Yale wrestling were still around today, this would be their 116th season.  In realms of interesting history, in regards to collegiate wrestling, this goes back to about as long ago as you can get.

The Bulldogs had an assortment of great wrestlers and really I'd like to recognize them all but I've narrowed it down to who I feel are the twelve best.

George Dole

Born in 1885, it really puts into perspective the origin of where it all began for college wrestling.  Winning EIWA titles in 1905, 1906, 1907 & 1908, George Dole was the first four time champion that collegiate wrestling ever knew.  Post college he'd teach economics at St. Lawrence University (another wrestling program we lost that I wrote about earlier).  His nephew who was also named George Dole, was a famous runner years later.

125 & 135 lbs
Louis Dole 

George's twin brother Louis was himself a great grappler nearly matching George's four EIWA titles with three of his own in 1905, 1907 & 1908.  I'm unsure if he failed to place in 1906 or if he didn't participate for one reason or another.  Interesting to note, his 1907 title match lasted 28 minutes.

Post college Dole went into theology and became a pastor.

115 and 123 lbs
Andy Fitch 

Finishing in third place in 1958 & as the runner up in 1959, Andy Fitch never won an EIWA conference title.  Nevertheless he did win the NCAA title in 1959.  Post college, Fitch had a successful international career winning a Pan-American Games gold medal in 1963 & making the Olympic team in 1964.  After his wrestling career was said and done he taught literature and creative writing for a number of years & he tried his hand at starting a professional league of folkstyle wrestling.

142 lbs
Jim Bennett 

A two sport athlete in high school, Jim Bennett could have as easily wound up a star on the men's track & field team as he did on the wrestling team.  He won one state title in wrestling, whereas he was a time time state champion in the Pole Vault.   As a member of Bulldog wrestling he is yet another wrestler who managed to win an NCAA title without ever winning an EIWA one.  As a junior in 1975 he finished second at the EIWA's but won the NCAA's.  As a senior in 1976 he'd once again take runner-up honors at the EIWA's and this time place fourth at the NCAA tournament.

A Russians studies and economics major, he was the assistant coach at Harvard for a number of years.  His wife Amy was an Olympic cyclist.  To this day Bennett puts forth efforts to reinstate Bulldog wrestling.

167 lbs
George Graveson

Finishing at the EIWA runner-up as a sophomore and senior in 1950 & 1952, George Graveson would win the EIWA's in 1951 as a junior also garnering the outstanding wrestler of the tournament honors. In the same year he would finish as the NCAA runner-up.

167 lbs
Colin Grissom 

Coming from Colorado, Colin Grissom wrestled for the Wheat Ridge Farmers where he took third in the state tournament in 1978 and won a state title in 1979.  Winning an EIWA title in 1981 as a sophomore, Grissom would finish as the runner-up in 1982 and take third place in 1983.  He was an All American in 1982, placing sixth.   Brother Grady Grissom was a varsity wrestler at Princeton.

175 lbs
Frank Russell

Frank Russell who would later go on to become a tycoon in the world of business won three EIWA titles for Yale in 1924, 1925 and 1926.

190 lbs
Neal Brendel 

A successful attorney in the Pittsburgh area, Neal Brendel is better known to the sports world for Rugby.  Not only has he been a part of some major U.S. teams but he is also one of the head chairmen of USA Rugby.  As a wrestler, Brendel qualified for the NCAA championships four times.  At the EIWA's he finished in fourth as a freshman, second as a sophomore & third as a junior before winning a title in 1976 as a senior. Also in his senior year he captured All American honors with a fourth place finish.  Known for always being a man of class and humility despite being tough as nails on the mat, Brendel received the William Neely Mallory award for sportsmanship his senior year as well.

HWT
Bill Goebel

Born in 1887, former Bulldog Bill Goebel is one of the earliest collegiate wrestlers (speaking in terms of duals and tournaments) you can read about.   Also a guard on the football team who ran track in the spring, Goebel won EIWA titles in 1907 & 1909 finishing as the runner-up in 1908.

HWT
Tim Karpoff

An EIWA champion as a junior in 1973, Karpoff would take runner-up honors in 1972 & 1974, capturing fourth place at the 1974 NCAA tournament. Post college Karpoff would work for the Institute of Cultural Affairs.

HWT
Larry Pickett 

Finishing in third place as a sophomore & in second as a junior, Larry Pickett would finally win an EIWA title in 1940 as a senior.   Post college Pickett became one of the most beloved figures at Comstock High School where he coached about every sport the school offered. He coached wrestling, football, baseball, girl's tennis, softball and even basketball.  His baseball teams were so good they won 204 games and 9 conference championships.  When questioned of how one can be successful coaching a sport in which they either did not excel or did not play at all he responded that the key to successful coaching wasn't being a skilled expert but instead caring about kids and convincing them that in all aspects of life you wanted them to succeed.

Now I would end here, but I have to include one more name because I love learning that successful athletes in other sports that wrestled. Besides, I'm not sure how many are aware that who I'm about to mention was a wrestler.

Jamie McEwan 

Believe it or not by one of America's best in Canoe Slalom, Jamie McEwan was a wrestler.  Matter of fact he was captain of the Bulldog squad.  In Canoeing, McEwan owns a 1972 Olympic Bronze medal and a 1987 World Championships silver medal as well as five Silver medals from the World Cup.


The Yale Bulldog wrestling program is rich with tradition, credentials and accomplishments.  Accomplishments on the mat and accomplishments beyond the mat.  It goes to show that the sport of wrestling produces individuals who are so much more that what they did while wearing a singlet.  That the disciplines and lessons learned in wrestling can translate into other areas of life.  A school as prestigious in academics & higher learning as Yale, at one time gave young men a place to get a top notch education and wrestle.  Perhaps some day they will provide that opportunity again...as well as to young women.