Four (Or More) Time State Champions in College = Utah

 When it comes to the state of Utah, I would consider it to be the most ignored wrestling state. I think it has too rich of a history both at the high school level & the collegiate level to label it a non-wrestling state but at  the same time it pales in comparison to the states we consider to be "wrestling states." It leaves the state in a weird limbo for how to classify it as a wrestling fan. All I know is that it has produced a few very good wrestlers. Christianity may be the stronghold of amateur wrestling, but leave it to Mormonism to have produced the very best...collegiately speaking anyway. 

Allen Lake 

Although Utah has had a High School State championship since 1938, they didn't crown their first four time State champion until 1981 when Allen Lake of Delta won his fourth title. Per my records, he did not wrestle in college. 

Brandon Moat 

Brandon Moat won four Utah High School State titles from 90'-93' for Duchesne. Per my records, he did not wrestle in college. 

Trent Bell 

Trent Bell won four Utah High School State titles from 90'-93' for Piute.  Collegiately he wrestled for Ricks College, which is today known as Brigham Young-Idaho. 

Roger Smith 

Roger Smith won four Utah High School State titles from 92'-95'.  From what I have found, he did not wrestle in college. 

Cody Sanderson 

Cody Sanderson of Wasatch won four Utah High School State titles from 92'-95'.  He competed collegiately for Iowa State.  A two time NCAA finalist his junior & senior seasons of 99' & 00', he was also a BIG 12 champion in his senior season as well.  

Rocky Smart 

Representing Pleasant Grove, Rocky Smart won four Utah High School State titles from 93'-96'. He began his collegiate career at Brigham Young where he was an NCAA qualifier, but he was then forced to find a new home as the Cougars discontinued their wrestling program. Now competing for Arizona State, Smart qualified for three more NCAA appearances losing out in the round to be an All American in all three.  A PAC-12 champion his senior season, he was also a three time CKLV place-winner. 

Kyle Bell 

Kyle Bell won four Utah High School State titles from 94'-97' for Piute. From what I have found he did not wrestle in college. 

Brian Blain  

Brian Blain won four Utah High School State championships from 94'-97' for Pleasant Grove. From what I could find, he did not wrestle in college. 

Cael Sanderson 

Representing Wasatch, Cael Sanderson won four Utah State High School championships from 94'-97'.  He competed collegiately for Iowa State, to where to this day he is still considered to be the greatest college wrestler of all time. During his varsity competition days he went 159-0, winning four NCAA as well as four BIG 12 titles. 

Jeff Newby 

Jeff Newby won four Utah High School State championships for Box Elder from 99'-02'.  He began his college career at Boise State but finished up at Utah Valley. 

Bryant Anderson   

Bryant Anderson of Wayne won four Utah High School State titles from 99'-02'. He wrestled collegiately for Utah Valley. 

Andrew Hochstrasser 

Andrew Hochstrasser won four Utah High School State titles for Tooele from 01'-04'.  Collegiately he wrestled for Boise State where he was a two time All American. Placing 4th as a junior in 2009, he was an NCAA finalist in 2011. He also won two PAC-12 titles. 

Mark Pentz 

Mark Pentz won four Utah High School State titles for Millard from 03'-06'. From what I could find he did not wrestle in college. 

Sean Porter 

Sean Porter won four Utah High School State titles from 04'-07' for Davis. He competed collegiately for Utah Valley & then transferred to Southern Virginia. 

Shay Warren 

Shay Warren won four Utah High School State championships for Weber from 04'-07'.  He wrestled for Harvard where in his senior season of 2013, he took 8th place at the EIWA championships. 

Aaron Butler 

The late Aaron Butler who lost his life serving our country in Afghanistan, won four Utah High School State titles for Monticello from 05'-08'.  He did not wrestle in college. 

Jason Chamberlain 

Representing Springville, Jason Chamberlain won four Utah High School State titles from 05'-08'.  Competing for Boise State in college, he was a two time All American placing 3rd as a junior & taking NCAA runner-up honors as a senior.  He was also a three time PAC-12 champion, winning both a CKLV & a Reno title his junior year. 

Bryson Foy

Bryson Foy won four Utah High School State titles for Altamont from 07'-10'.  He wrestled collegiately for Utah Valley. 

Zach Prince    

Zach Prince won four Utah State High School Championships from 10'-13' for Hurricane. From what I have found he did not wrestle in college. 

Kyle Foy 

Kyle Foy of Altamont won four Utah High School State titles from 10'-13'. From what I could find, he did not wrestle in college. 

Rylee Foy     

Rylee Foy won four Utah High School state titles for Altamont from 12'-15'. I don't believe he wrestled in college. 
 

Four (Or More) Time State Champions in College = Wisconsin

 Before I even began doing the research I figured the nearly all if not all of the four timers from Wisconsin would continue their careers beyond high school. I was right. Only found one who didn't. 

Matt Hanutke

Wisconsin's first four time state champion was Matt Hanutke of Pittsville who won titles from 87'-90'. He went on to wrestle for Wisconsin where he became a four time NCAA All American. From 92'-95' he was 7th, 6th, 5th & 4th. 

Kraigh Underwood 

Kraig Underwood of Athens won four Wisconsin State titles from 92'-95'. From what I have been able to gather, he did not wrestle in college. 

Brian Slater 

Winning four Wisconsin State titles for New Lisbon from 93'-96', Brian Slater wrestled collegiately for Wisconsin. 

Scott Hady

Winning four Wisconsin High School State championships for North Crawford from 94'-97', Scott Hady competed collegiately for Army. 

Kevin Black 

Representing River Falls, Kevin Black was undefeated in his quest for four Wisconsin High School State titles from 95'-98'. He went on to wrestle for Wisconsin where he earned an All American finish of 4th place his junior season of 2002. 

Josh Miller 

Josh Miller was a four time Wisconsin High School State champion from 99'-02' for Arcadia. He went on to wrestle collegiately for UW-Whitewater. 

Cole Wunnicke

Cole Wunnicke won four Wisconsin High School State titles for Ithaca from 99'-02'. He wrestled collegiately for Wisconsin. 

Bobby Wunnicke 

Bobby Wunnicke won four Wisconsin High School State titles from 05'-08' for Dodgeville. Collegiately he wrestled for Northern Illinois. 

Zac Cibula 

Representing Luxemburg-Casco, Zac Cibula won four Wisconsin High School State titles from 05'-08'. Collegiately he competed for Rider. Winning a CAA title in 2011 as a sophomore, he was 3rd in 2012 & runner-up in 2013. 

Nick Hager 

Nick Hager won four Wisconsin High School State crowns from 06'-09' for Tomahawk. He wrestled collegiately for South Dakota State. 

Jesse Thielke

Jesse Thielke won four Wisconsin High School State titles for Germantown from 08'-11'. Collegiately he wrestled for Wisconsin, where he was a two time NCAA qualifier in his freshman & sophomore seasons. He decided post his sophomore year to give up collegiate wrestling to concentrate on his Greco-Roman career. 

Jared Donar 

Jared Donar won four Wisconsin High School State titles between both Cuba City & Southwestern from 09'-12'.  He began his collegiate career at Minnesota & then transferred to Wisconsin. 

Jens Lantz 

Jens Lantz won four Wisconsin High School State titles from 11'-14' for Ellsworth. Collegiately he competed for Wisconsin. In his senior season, he took 8th place at the Midlands championships. 

Hunter Marko 

Hunter Marko won four Wisconsin High School State titles from 13'-16' for Amery. He began his collegiate career at Minnesota & then transferred to South Dakota State. 

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Jeremy Schoenherr of Strattford is at Wisconsin 

Sam Stuhl of Prescott/Ellsworth was at North Dakota State, then transferred to Augsburg. He was R12 at DIII's last season. Has this year left. 

Brock Schlough of Boyceville is at St Cloud State 

Keegan O'Toole of Arrowhead is at Missouri. A two time All American, he won the NCAA title last season. Has three seasons of eligibility left. 

Matty Bianchi of Two Rivers is at Little Rock 

Kole Marko of St. Croix Falls is at Minnesota State Mankato

Clayton Whiting of Oconto Falls is at Missouri 

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I think the state of Wisconsin helps to prove something.  How having programs in your state make all the difference in the world. Look at how many of these studs competed for the Badgers.  Try to imagine if Wisconsin didn't have a program. What would it look like then? Would all of these talents still have wrestled in college?  I'd love to see wrestling reinstated at UW-Milwaukee, UW-Green Bay and Marquette, but am very thankful for wrestling still being a stronghold at Wisconsin. I ask this because I wonder what the landscape of wrestling would look like with some of these other states, if they had but just one major program, or for some, just one program at all.  I think it's a fair question. I think looking at Wisconsin in this light helps to hypothesize the situation. 

Four (Or More) Time State Champs in College = Alaska

 Moving on where we left off on Alabama we now check out the only state you have to have a passport to drive to, Alaska.  Here is how their four (or More) time State champs did at the collegiate level. 

Gary Steeby 

Technically there was no Alaska High School State tournament Steeby's freshman season of 1971. However the Western Alaska Championships that he won that season is counted as an official title. Competing for Chugiak, he won three more titles going 127-5 during his high school career. He did not wrestle in college. 

Matt Matson 

Matson is one of the most unique stories I have ever heard regarding high school wrestling. Competing for West Valley, he won his first three titles in 90', 91' & 92'.  An accident caused him to tear his spleen & break his pelvis, completely missing his senior season of 1993. He petitioned & was allowed to complete his senior year & wrestle in 1994, winning his fourth state title. Accepting a scholarship to Wisconsin, he competed as a freshman & sophomore but decided to move on from wrestling to concentrate solely on his studies after that. 

Jed Wade

Winning four titles for Wasilla, Wade competed collegiately for Columbia. 

Eli Hutchison 

Winning four Alaska State titles for Skyview, Eli Hutchison competed collegiately for Boise State. Of note, his sister Michaela was the first girl to win an Alaska High School State title. 

David Wiese

Winning his four Alaska High School State titles for West Valley, David Wiese competed collegiately for Cumberland. He was an NAIA qualifier his junior season of 2010. 

 
Hollan Gravely 

Winning Alaska State titles from 04'-07' for Colony, I know that Hollan Gravely was going to compete at Western State, but I'm not 100% positive whether he ever did or not. 

Nathan Hoffer 

A four time State Champion for East Anchorage, Hoffer wrestled collegiately for Arizona State.  He started off rather strong with back to back 3rd place finishes at the PAC-12 tournament his freshman & sophomore seasons. Unfortunately injuries hampered the rest of his career. 

Matthew Malnoski 

Another four time champion from East Anchorage that wrestled for Arizona State was Matthew Malnoski. 

Jared Miller 

A four time state champion for Dillingham from 09'-12', Jared Miller wrestled for Southern Oregon. 

Emery Booshu 

Going 136-5 winning Alaska State titles in 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015 for Nome, I don't believe that Emery Booshu ever wrestled in college. 

Seth Hutchison 

Like brother Eli, Seth won four state titles while in high school. He competed collegiately for Minnesota State-Moorhead, but unfortunately injuries hampered his career. 

Thomas Dyment 

To my knowledge I don't believe that Thomas Dyment of Bethel who won four Alaska State titles from 15'-18' wrestled in collee. 

Sydnee Kimber 

Sydnee Kimber absolutely dominated the girl's division of Alaska High School State wrestling going 90-0 & winning four titles. Things were no different for her in college as she won WCWA titles & a Gorriaran award while competing for McKendree. 

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All things considered, it's pretty impressive that so many of these wrestlers decided to continue their wrestling careers in college considering all that they had going against them. Alaska has never had much for collegiate wrestling to begin with. Their best program (as well as one of the only ones they've ever had) was Alaska-Pacific an NAIA program & that only lasted around 10 years. I knew there would be some that didn't wrestle beyond High School, but honestly I thought there would be more. 

It's also of note that we still have some currently competing in college. 

McKenzie Cook who won 4 girl's state titles is at McKendree

Aedyn Concepcion of South Anchorage is currently competing for Gardner Webb

Hadyen Lieb of Bethel is competing for Wyoming 

I'm not sure but I do think Landon Smith of Bethel is also going to be competing somewhere next season. I haven't heard or read where yet, but I think we'll see him on the mat. 

Four (Or More) Time State Champions in College = Washington

 Washington is an interesting case. This post is simply looking at four time State champions, and even in that alone, it is clear to see that wrestlers from Washington want to compete at the collegiate level. However, due to the enormous amount of discontinuations at the collegiate level in the state of Washington their opportunities are extremely slim. It's not even that Washington has been hit any harder than some other states with discontinuations. It's more along the lines that there's hardly anything left. While the efforts to bring collegiate wrestling to or back to universities and colleges around the United States has been admirable as well as encouraging, the State of Washington has not shared in this resurgence. 

It's an absolute travesty that nearly all of these phenomenal athletes had but no other choice other than to attend college out of state if they wanted to continue their wrestling careers. The State of Washington ought to be ashamed of itself that it provides nearly nothing in terms of opportunity for the best of its high school wrestlers to continue at the collegiate level. It's inexcusable and it deserves the harsh criticism that I currently give it.  

5 DI Schools, All 5 had wrestling at one time, now all 5 don't. 
4 DII Schools, 3 at one time had wrestling, now all 4 don't. 
4 DIII Schools, All 4 had wrestling at one time, now all 4 don't. 
3 NAIA schools, 2 had wrestling at one time, now all 3 don't 

I can't speak to all of the NJCAA schools as to which all had wrestling and which never had wrestling. All I can tell you is that as of today out of 23 programs, one has varsity wrestling. 

In a state that produces the type of talent that Washington has & will continue to produce?  Their ought to be way more opportunities. Now that women's wrestling is on the rise, they ought to have more than a one club program at Gray's Harbor. 

Pat Connors 

Washington's first four time State Champion was Pat Connors of R.A. Long who won his titles from 91'-94'.  He competed for Minnesota collegiately where he had an outstanding career. Placing 3rd at the NCAA championships as a sophomore in 1997, he took back to back NCAA runner-up honors in 1998 and 1999. 

Martin Mitchell 

Martin Mitchell won four Washington High School State titles for Tonasket from 98'-01'. He competed collegiately for Oregon. 

Burke Barnes 

Burke Barnes won four Washington High School State titles for Lake Stevens from 99'-02'.  He competed collegiately for Dana where he was a three time NAIA All American. Earning 3rd place as a sophomore in 2006, he won back to back NAIA titles in 2007 & 2008. 

Brandon Sitch 

Competing for Kelso, Brandon Sitch won four Washington High School State titles from 03'-06'.  He started off his collegiate career at Minnesota and then transferred to Southern Oregon. 

Jimmy Belleville 

Jimmy Belleville won four Washington High School State titles for Black Hills from 06'-09'. He began his collegiate career at Puget Sound CC, transferring to Wyoming & finishing up at Northern Colorado. 

Derek Garcia 

Derek Garcia won four High School state titles for Sedro Woolley from 07'-10'. He wrestled collegiately at Ohio State. 

Ryn Rollins 

Ryn Rollins won four Washington High School State titles from 07'-10' for Republic. From what I have found, he did not wrestle in college. 

Chris Castillo 

Representing Zillah, Chris Castillo won four Washington High School State titles from 08'-11'.  He wrestled collegiately for Boise State where he won a PAC-12 title in 2016 as a senior. 

Sheridan McDonald 

Sheridan McDonald of Kiona-Benton became Washington's first Girl's four time State champion when she won her fourth title in 2011. From what I have found, she did not wrestle in college. 

Drew Templeman 

Drew Templeman won four Washington High School State titles for Orting from 09'-12'.  Collegiately he wrestled for Wyoming where he was a two time NCAA qualifier. Placing 4th at the BIG 12's as a junior in 2016, he was 3rd in 2017 as a senior. He was also a two time Reno finalist his final two seasons, winning a title his junior season. 

Jake Velarde 

Jake Velarde won four Washington High School State titles from 10'-13' for North Kitsap. He competed for Boise State in college. 

Bobby Reece 

Bobby Reece won four Washington High School State championships for Kingston from 11'-14'. He competed collegiately for Grand Canyon. 

Fred Green 

Representing Orting, Fred Green won four Washington High School State titles from 12'-15'. As to collegiate wrestling, Green had quite the journey.  He began his career at Boise State where he wrestled as a redshirt & as a freshman. He then transferred to Virginia for this sophomore season. From there he wrestled at Oregon State as a junior. Finally he ended up at Colorado Mesa where he wrestled as a senior & as a super senior (due to Covid 19). He won back to back Region titles & as a super senior in 2021 he won the NCAA Division II title. 

Michael Soler 

Michael Soler won four Washington High School State championships from 13'-16' for Lake Stevens. From what I have found, he did not wrestle in college. 

Desiree Zavala 

Desiree Zavala won four Washington High School State titles from 13'-16'. She started off her collegiate career at Southern Oregon & then transferred to Wayland Baptist. 

Dalton Young 

Dalton Young won four Washington High School State titles from 14'-17' for Nine Mile Lakeside. He wrestled collegiately for Stanford. 

Clai Quintanilla 

Clai Quintanilla won four Washington High School State crowns for North Central from 14'-17'. He began his collegiate career at Clackamas and then transferred to Fresno State. 

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Brandon Kaylor of Bonney Lake is at Oregon State, an All American with two season of eligibility left. 

Alex Cruz of Orting is at Virginiia 

Cameron Guerin of Davis is at McKendree