African American NCAA Champions' biographies
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Carl Adams, Iowa State - Carl Adams won a pair of NCAA crowns in 1971 and 1972. Adams also became the first freshman All-American in two decades by finishing fifth in 1969. He has been a collegiate head coach since 1980, first at Rhode Island and then at Boston University. He has won over 250 dual meets.
Art Baker, Syracuse - Art Baker's short but outstanding collegiate career culminated in an NCAA title in 1959, when he defeated Tim Woodin of Michigan State 9-5 for the 191-pound crown. Baker, who was a starting halfback on Syracuse's 1959 national champion football team, concentrated on football after winning his title as a sophomore.
Ernest Benion, Illinois - Ernest Benion won an NCAA title on his first try as a sophomore in 1995, despite finishing third in the Big Ten tournament. He was also a Big Ten champion and three-time All-American for the Illini. He had a career record of 121-30.
Darryl Burley, Lehigh - Darryl Burley was a four-time NCAA finalist and two-time champion for Lehigh from 1979 to 1983. He also won four EIWA crowns and posted a career mark of 94-5-1, the third best ever for a Lehigh wrestler in its century of competition.
*Chris Campbell, Iowa - Chris Campbell won two NCAA titles and three Big Ten crowns for the Hawkeyes in the 1970s. He was a member of the 1980 Olympic team and won a world freestyle crown in 1981. Then, after years of retirement, he made a remarkable comeback and won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics.
*Nate Carr, Iowa State - Nate Carr was a three-time NCAA champion for the Cyclones in the early 1980's. His last two titles were achieved via overtime wins over his greatest rival - Oklahoma State's Kenny Monday, an NCAA, world and Olympic champion. Carr was a bronze medalist at the 1988 Olympics.
Stewart Carter, Iowa State - Stewart Carter started for just one season at Iowa State, but that did not prevent him from winning an NCAA title at 158 pounds in 1987. He helped the Cyclones win their most recent team title and end arch rival Iowa's nine-year streak as team champion.
Curley Culp, Arizona State - Curley Culp dominated the 1967 NCAA tournament by pinning three of four opponents while capturing the heavyweight title. His unstoppable lateral drop enabled him to become Arizona State's first NCAA champion. He was also an outstanding lineman for the Sun Devil's and played professional football for over a decade.
Andy Daniels, Ohio University - Andy Daniels won the 1978 NCAA title at 118 pounds as an unseeded wrestler. In his last two bouts he defeated members of the 1980 Olympic team. In the semi-finals he routed Gene Mills of Syracuse 15-7 and in the finals pinned John Azevedo of Cal-State Bakersfield in just 30 seconds.
Tony Davis, Northern Iowa - When Tony Davis won an NCAA title in 2000, he became the first Northern Iowa wrestler to win an NCAA title in nearly four decades. He was runner-up the previous season, losing 5-3 to T.J. Williams of Iowa, his teammate at Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago.
*Melvin Douglas, Oklahoma - Melvin Douglas won back-to-back NCAA crowns in 1985 and 1986 at 177 pounds. He defeated Wayne Catan of Syracuse in both finals. He had a lengthy international career and represented the United States twice in the Olympics. Douglas was also a world freestyle champion in 1993.
Chris Edmond, Tennessee - Chris Edmond is the only wrestler from the University of Tennessee to win an NCAA title. He captured the crown in 1985 by defeating Pete Capone of Hofstra 14-10 in a high scoring final. Edmonds also finished fourth at the 1984 tournament.
Dwight Gardner, Ohio University - Dwight Gardner won his NCAA title in 1998 by upsetting the top two seeds in the 158-pound weight class. He drubbed top-seeded Hardell Moore of Oklahoma State 7-1 in the final. His victory enabled Ohio University to finish ninth in the team race, its highest finish in 25 years.
Shawn Garel, Oklahoma - Shawn Garel won the 118-pound NCAA title in 1975 and beat future NCAA champions Mark DiGirolamo and Mike Land on his way to the finals. In what was probably the toughest weight class in the history of the tournament, there were three other future NCAA champions and two runner-ups in the 118-pound bracket.
Howard Harris, Oregon State - Howard Harris totally dominated the heavyweight division in 1980 and pinned all five opponents on his way to the NCAA crown. He pinned four-time Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner in the finals and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Before moving up to heavyweight in 1980, Harris was a three-time All-American at 190 pounds.
Carlton Haselrig, Pittsburgh-Johnstown - Carlton Haselrig won a total of six NCAA wrestling titles, three each in Division I and Division II from 1987 to 1989. Despite never playing football in college, he had a successful career in the NFL and was an All-Pro offensive guard in 1993 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Joe Heskett, Iowa State - Joe Heskett was a four-time All-American and three-time Big Eight champion who won an NCAA title at 165 pounds in 2002. He posted a record of 143-10-0 during his career at Iowa State. He finished fifth at the 2007 world championships, but had to retire shortly after the tournament because of a heart ailment.
Jarrett Hubbard, Michigan - Jarrett Hubbard won back-to-back NCAA titles at 150 pounds in 1973 and 1974 and was the Wolverines' first four-time All-American. He was the only Michigan wrestler with more than 20 matches in a season to post a perfect record - he was 23-0-0 in 1974.
*Jimmy Jackson, Oklahoma State - Jimmy Jackson won three straight NCAA and Big Eight heavyweight titles from 1976 to 1978. He had a career record of 87-9-2 and holds the Cowboy record for the fastest fall in just 12 seconds. He also represented the United States at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
Kelvin Jackson, Michigan State - Kelvin Jackson won the 1995 NCAA title at 118 pounds and was a two-time Big Ten runner-up. He also wrestled for two years at Lassen Community College and won the 1993 junior college national title at 118 pounds.
Joe James, Oklahoma State - Joe James was the first African American to ever wrestle for Oklahoma State. He won an NCAA heavyweight title in 1964 and was a three-time All-American. He was famous for his Adonis-like physique developed before the era of vigorous weight training.
Charles Jones, Purdue - At the age of 28, Charles Jones became the oldest wrestler ever to win an NCAA title when he captured the 167-pound crown in 1992. Jones wrestled for two seasons for the Boilermakers and posted a career mark 67-4-0. He was also a Big Ten champion in 1992 and finished third in the 1991 NCAA tournament.
Greg Jones, West Virginia - Greg Jones won NCAA titles in 2002 at 174 pounds and 2004 and 2005 at 184 pounds. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2005 tournament. He finished his collegiate career with a record of 126-4-0 and is the only West Virginia wrestler to win multiple NCAA championships.
*Leroy Kemp, Wisconsin - A referees' split decision loss to Iowa's Chuck Yagla in the 1975 NCAA final prevented Lee Kemp from becoming the first four-time NCAA champion. Kemp also had an outstanding international career and was a three-time world champion. Kemp made the 1980 Olympic team and was an overwhelming favorite to win gold, until President Carter's boycott.
Josh Koscheck, Edinboro - Josh Koscheck was a four-time All-American for Edinboro from 1999 to 2002. He defeated Maurice Worthy of Army to win the NCAA 174-pound title in 2001. He was honored as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year three times and was twice named the Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year.
Noel Loban, Clemson - Noel Loban won the 190-pound NCAA crown in 1980 as the eighth seed. He beat the first, second and fourth seed to become the first Clemson wrestler to reach the top of the podium. Loban, who was born in London, England, won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics competing for Great Britain.
Veryl Long, Iowa Sate - Veryl Long, a three-time All-American, won his 147-pound NCAA title at the 1965 tournament via a split referees' decision. It was a key victory for the Cyclones, who won their first official NCAA team title by one point over Oklahoma State.
Ken Mallory, Montclair State - Ken Mallory was the only Division III wrestler to win a Division I title. He won the 134-pound title in 1978 with a 10-7 victory over Frank DeAngelis of Oklahoma. Mallory also won three Division III crowns and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1978 Division III tournament.
*Kerry McCoy, Penn State - Kerry McCoy was the most successful wrestler in a century of competition at Penn State. He placed first twice and third at the NCAA tournament. He was a member of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams and won a silver medal at the 2003 world championships. He is currently the head coach at Stanford.
Cleo McGlory, Oklahoma - Cleo McGlory was a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, but he scorned the Cowboys to find wrestling success at arch rival Oklahoma. McGlory won an NCAA title in 1969 after finishing runner-up the previous two seasons. He faced an Iowa State wrestler in each final and beat Dave Martin 5-3 in 1969.
*Kenny Monday, Oklahoma State - At the Seoul Olympics, Kenny Monday became the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. He also won a world championship in 1989 and a silver medal in Barcelona. He was an NCAA champion in 1984 and a runner-up in 1982 and 1983.
Dean Morrison, West Virginia - Dean Morrison captured the 177-pound NCAA title in 1994 and competed internationally for many years after ending his collegiate career. In March 2007 he was hired by Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. to lead the continued growth of the sport of wrestling in New York City.
Jim Nance, Syracuse - Jim Nance was the first African American to win an NCAA heavyweight title and also the first to win two NCAA crowns. Nance captured titles in 1963 and 1965 and was a three-time EIWA champion. He was also an outstanding fullback at Syracuse and during his ten year career in the AFL and NFL.
Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State - Chris Pendleton won back-to-back 174-pound NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005 and finished third in 2003. He was one of five Cowboys to win a title in 2005. He had a career of 114-11-0 with OSU and holds the team record for the fastest fall (0:17) at the NCAA tournament.
Kevin Randleman, Ohio State - Kevin Randleman became the first Ohio State wrestler to win multiple NCAA crowns when he won back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993. Randleman also reached the finals in 1991 as a freshman. He finished his career with a record of 108-7-3.
Ron Ray, Oklahoma State - Ron Ray won an NCAA title for the Cowboys at 167 pounds in 1975. He competed for two years at Stillwater, after winning a pair of junior college national titles at Wilbur Wright College. He also finished sixth at the 1974 NCAA tournament.
Simon Roberts, Iowa - Simon Roberts had a ground breaking career as a high school and collegiate wrestler. He was the first African American to win an Iowa high school, a Big Ten and an NCAA title. He beat the same wrestler, Ron Gray, to win both his high school and NCAA crowns.
Bill Simpson, Clarion - Bill Simpson won NCAA College and University titles in 1973 at 167 pounds. He was part of the remarkable showing by Clarion in 1973 when the College Division school crowned three University Division champions. Simpson also finished fifth in 1974.
Dr. Jason Smith, Iowa State - Jason Smith was a two-time NCAA champion at 167 pounds in 1969 and 1970 and a member of the Cyclone team champions for those seasons. He also finished third in 1968 and was a Big Eight champion in 1970.
Tab Thacker, North Carolina State - Tab Thacker became the largest heavyweight ever to win an NCAA title when he captured the crown in 1984. The three-time All-American, who competed while weighing 450 pounds, became an actor after completing his wrestling career. He appeared in Wildcats and two of the Police Academy movies.
Byron Tucker, Oklahoma - Byron Tucker won the 174-pound title at the 2000 NCAA tournament. He also won the Big Eight crown at 174 pounds and over 100 bouts during his collegiate career. In the summer of 2000, he placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals and also took fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Mike Van Arsdale, Iowa State - Mike Van Arsdale was a three-time All-American and 1988 NCAA champion at 167 pounds. He also won the Big Eight crown at 167 pounds and won over 100 bouts during his collegiate career.
Teyon Ware, Oklahoma - Teyon Ware won NCAA titles in 2003 and 2005, the first as a true freshman. He was a four-time All-American with a runner-up finish in 2006. He had a career record of 112-15-0. He was the first Sooner to capture more than one NCAA crown in nearly two decades.
*Joe Williams, Iowa - Joe Williams won three straight NCAA titles from 1996 to 1998 and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1998 tournament. He was also a two-time Big Ten champion and finished fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He and his sibling T.J. are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles.
T.J. Williams, Iowa - T.J. Williams lost just one match in three years of wrestling at Iowa and finished with two NCAA titles and three Big Ten crowns. His record of 98-1-0 is the highest winning percentage in the history of Iowa wrestling. He and his sibling Joe are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles.
Jim Woods, Western Illinois - Jim Woods won both the NCAA Division I and Division II heavyweight titles in 1974. Woods rallied from a 4-2 deficit after two periods in the finals to defeat Gary Ernst of Michigan for the Division I title. Woods' victory enabled Oklahoma to nip Michigan in the battle for the team title.
* Olympians
© 2008
National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum
Art Baker, Syracuse - Art Baker's short but outstanding collegiate career culminated in an NCAA title in 1959, when he defeated Tim Woodin of Michigan State 9-5 for the 191-pound crown. Baker, who was a starting halfback on Syracuse's 1959 national champion football team, concentrated on football after winning his title as a sophomore.
Ernest Benion, Illinois - Ernest Benion won an NCAA title on his first try as a sophomore in 1995, despite finishing third in the Big Ten tournament. He was also a Big Ten champion and three-time All-American for the Illini. He had a career record of 121-30.
Darryl Burley, Lehigh - Darryl Burley was a four-time NCAA finalist and two-time champion for Lehigh from 1979 to 1983. He also won four EIWA crowns and posted a career mark of 94-5-1, the third best ever for a Lehigh wrestler in its century of competition.
*Chris Campbell, Iowa - Chris Campbell won two NCAA titles and three Big Ten crowns for the Hawkeyes in the 1970s. He was a member of the 1980 Olympic team and won a world freestyle crown in 1981. Then, after years of retirement, he made a remarkable comeback and won a bronze medal at the 1992 Olympics.
*Nate Carr, Iowa State - Nate Carr was a three-time NCAA champion for the Cyclones in the early 1980's. His last two titles were achieved via overtime wins over his greatest rival - Oklahoma State's Kenny Monday, an NCAA, world and Olympic champion. Carr was a bronze medalist at the 1988 Olympics.
Stewart Carter, Iowa State - Stewart Carter started for just one season at Iowa State, but that did not prevent him from winning an NCAA title at 158 pounds in 1987. He helped the Cyclones win their most recent team title and end arch rival Iowa's nine-year streak as team champion.
Curley Culp, Arizona State - Curley Culp dominated the 1967 NCAA tournament by pinning three of four opponents while capturing the heavyweight title. His unstoppable lateral drop enabled him to become Arizona State's first NCAA champion. He was also an outstanding lineman for the Sun Devil's and played professional football for over a decade.
Andy Daniels, Ohio University - Andy Daniels won the 1978 NCAA title at 118 pounds as an unseeded wrestler. In his last two bouts he defeated members of the 1980 Olympic team. In the semi-finals he routed Gene Mills of Syracuse 15-7 and in the finals pinned John Azevedo of Cal-State Bakersfield in just 30 seconds.
Tony Davis, Northern Iowa - When Tony Davis won an NCAA title in 2000, he became the first Northern Iowa wrestler to win an NCAA title in nearly four decades. He was runner-up the previous season, losing 5-3 to T.J. Williams of Iowa, his teammate at Mt. Carmel High School in Chicago.
*Melvin Douglas, Oklahoma - Melvin Douglas won back-to-back NCAA crowns in 1985 and 1986 at 177 pounds. He defeated Wayne Catan of Syracuse in both finals. He had a lengthy international career and represented the United States twice in the Olympics. Douglas was also a world freestyle champion in 1993.
Chris Edmond, Tennessee - Chris Edmond is the only wrestler from the University of Tennessee to win an NCAA title. He captured the crown in 1985 by defeating Pete Capone of Hofstra 14-10 in a high scoring final. Edmonds also finished fourth at the 1984 tournament.
Dwight Gardner, Ohio University - Dwight Gardner won his NCAA title in 1998 by upsetting the top two seeds in the 158-pound weight class. He drubbed top-seeded Hardell Moore of Oklahoma State 7-1 in the final. His victory enabled Ohio University to finish ninth in the team race, its highest finish in 25 years.
Shawn Garel, Oklahoma - Shawn Garel won the 118-pound NCAA title in 1975 and beat future NCAA champions Mark DiGirolamo and Mike Land on his way to the finals. In what was probably the toughest weight class in the history of the tournament, there were three other future NCAA champions and two runner-ups in the 118-pound bracket.
Howard Harris, Oregon State - Howard Harris totally dominated the heavyweight division in 1980 and pinned all five opponents on his way to the NCAA crown. He pinned four-time Olympic medalist Bruce Baumgartner in the finals and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Before moving up to heavyweight in 1980, Harris was a three-time All-American at 190 pounds.
Carlton Haselrig, Pittsburgh-Johnstown - Carlton Haselrig won a total of six NCAA wrestling titles, three each in Division I and Division II from 1987 to 1989. Despite never playing football in college, he had a successful career in the NFL and was an All-Pro offensive guard in 1993 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Joe Heskett, Iowa State - Joe Heskett was a four-time All-American and three-time Big Eight champion who won an NCAA title at 165 pounds in 2002. He posted a record of 143-10-0 during his career at Iowa State. He finished fifth at the 2007 world championships, but had to retire shortly after the tournament because of a heart ailment.
Jarrett Hubbard, Michigan - Jarrett Hubbard won back-to-back NCAA titles at 150 pounds in 1973 and 1974 and was the Wolverines' first four-time All-American. He was the only Michigan wrestler with more than 20 matches in a season to post a perfect record - he was 23-0-0 in 1974.
*Jimmy Jackson, Oklahoma State - Jimmy Jackson won three straight NCAA and Big Eight heavyweight titles from 1976 to 1978. He had a career record of 87-9-2 and holds the Cowboy record for the fastest fall in just 12 seconds. He also represented the United States at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
Kelvin Jackson, Michigan State - Kelvin Jackson won the 1995 NCAA title at 118 pounds and was a two-time Big Ten runner-up. He also wrestled for two years at Lassen Community College and won the 1993 junior college national title at 118 pounds.
Joe James, Oklahoma State - Joe James was the first African American to ever wrestle for Oklahoma State. He won an NCAA heavyweight title in 1964 and was a three-time All-American. He was famous for his Adonis-like physique developed before the era of vigorous weight training.
Charles Jones, Purdue - At the age of 28, Charles Jones became the oldest wrestler ever to win an NCAA title when he captured the 167-pound crown in 1992. Jones wrestled for two seasons for the Boilermakers and posted a career mark 67-4-0. He was also a Big Ten champion in 1992 and finished third in the 1991 NCAA tournament.
Greg Jones, West Virginia - Greg Jones won NCAA titles in 2002 at 174 pounds and 2004 and 2005 at 184 pounds. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2005 tournament. He finished his collegiate career with a record of 126-4-0 and is the only West Virginia wrestler to win multiple NCAA championships.
*Leroy Kemp, Wisconsin - A referees' split decision loss to Iowa's Chuck Yagla in the 1975 NCAA final prevented Lee Kemp from becoming the first four-time NCAA champion. Kemp also had an outstanding international career and was a three-time world champion. Kemp made the 1980 Olympic team and was an overwhelming favorite to win gold, until President Carter's boycott.
Josh Koscheck, Edinboro - Josh Koscheck was a four-time All-American for Edinboro from 1999 to 2002. He defeated Maurice Worthy of Army to win the NCAA 174-pound title in 2001. He was honored as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year three times and was twice named the Eastern Wrestling League Wrestler of the Year.
Noel Loban, Clemson - Noel Loban won the 190-pound NCAA crown in 1980 as the eighth seed. He beat the first, second and fourth seed to become the first Clemson wrestler to reach the top of the podium. Loban, who was born in London, England, won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics competing for Great Britain.
Veryl Long, Iowa Sate - Veryl Long, a three-time All-American, won his 147-pound NCAA title at the 1965 tournament via a split referees' decision. It was a key victory for the Cyclones, who won their first official NCAA team title by one point over Oklahoma State.
Ken Mallory, Montclair State - Ken Mallory was the only Division III wrestler to win a Division I title. He won the 134-pound title in 1978 with a 10-7 victory over Frank DeAngelis of Oklahoma. Mallory also won three Division III crowns and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1978 Division III tournament.
*Kerry McCoy, Penn State - Kerry McCoy was the most successful wrestler in a century of competition at Penn State. He placed first twice and third at the NCAA tournament. He was a member of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic teams and won a silver medal at the 2003 world championships. He is currently the head coach at Stanford.
Cleo McGlory, Oklahoma - Cleo McGlory was a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, but he scorned the Cowboys to find wrestling success at arch rival Oklahoma. McGlory won an NCAA title in 1969 after finishing runner-up the previous two seasons. He faced an Iowa State wrestler in each final and beat Dave Martin 5-3 in 1969.
*Kenny Monday, Oklahoma State - At the Seoul Olympics, Kenny Monday became the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. He also won a world championship in 1989 and a silver medal in Barcelona. He was an NCAA champion in 1984 and a runner-up in 1982 and 1983.
Dean Morrison, West Virginia - Dean Morrison captured the 177-pound NCAA title in 1994 and competed internationally for many years after ending his collegiate career. In March 2007 he was hired by Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. to lead the continued growth of the sport of wrestling in New York City.
Jim Nance, Syracuse - Jim Nance was the first African American to win an NCAA heavyweight title and also the first to win two NCAA crowns. Nance captured titles in 1963 and 1965 and was a three-time EIWA champion. He was also an outstanding fullback at Syracuse and during his ten year career in the AFL and NFL.
Chris Pendleton, Oklahoma State - Chris Pendleton won back-to-back 174-pound NCAA titles in 2004 and 2005 and finished third in 2003. He was one of five Cowboys to win a title in 2005. He had a career of 114-11-0 with OSU and holds the team record for the fastest fall (0:17) at the NCAA tournament.
Kevin Randleman, Ohio State - Kevin Randleman became the first Ohio State wrestler to win multiple NCAA crowns when he won back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993. Randleman also reached the finals in 1991 as a freshman. He finished his career with a record of 108-7-3.
Ron Ray, Oklahoma State - Ron Ray won an NCAA title for the Cowboys at 167 pounds in 1975. He competed for two years at Stillwater, after winning a pair of junior college national titles at Wilbur Wright College. He also finished sixth at the 1974 NCAA tournament.
Simon Roberts, Iowa - Simon Roberts had a ground breaking career as a high school and collegiate wrestler. He was the first African American to win an Iowa high school, a Big Ten and an NCAA title. He beat the same wrestler, Ron Gray, to win both his high school and NCAA crowns.
Bill Simpson, Clarion - Bill Simpson won NCAA College and University titles in 1973 at 167 pounds. He was part of the remarkable showing by Clarion in 1973 when the College Division school crowned three University Division champions. Simpson also finished fifth in 1974.
Dr. Jason Smith, Iowa State - Jason Smith was a two-time NCAA champion at 167 pounds in 1969 and 1970 and a member of the Cyclone team champions for those seasons. He also finished third in 1968 and was a Big Eight champion in 1970.
Tab Thacker, North Carolina State - Tab Thacker became the largest heavyweight ever to win an NCAA title when he captured the crown in 1984. The three-time All-American, who competed while weighing 450 pounds, became an actor after completing his wrestling career. He appeared in Wildcats and two of the Police Academy movies.
Byron Tucker, Oklahoma - Byron Tucker won the 174-pound title at the 2000 NCAA tournament. He also won the Big Eight crown at 174 pounds and over 100 bouts during his collegiate career. In the summer of 2000, he placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals and also took fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Mike Van Arsdale, Iowa State - Mike Van Arsdale was a three-time All-American and 1988 NCAA champion at 167 pounds. He also won the Big Eight crown at 167 pounds and won over 100 bouts during his collegiate career.
Teyon Ware, Oklahoma - Teyon Ware won NCAA titles in 2003 and 2005, the first as a true freshman. He was a four-time All-American with a runner-up finish in 2006. He had a career record of 112-15-0. He was the first Sooner to capture more than one NCAA crown in nearly two decades.
*Joe Williams, Iowa - Joe Williams won three straight NCAA titles from 1996 to 1998 and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 1998 tournament. He was also a two-time Big Ten champion and finished fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He and his sibling T.J. are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles.
T.J. Williams, Iowa - T.J. Williams lost just one match in three years of wrestling at Iowa and finished with two NCAA titles and three Big Ten crowns. His record of 98-1-0 is the highest winning percentage in the history of Iowa wrestling. He and his sibling Joe are the only African American brother combination to win NCAA titles.
Jim Woods, Western Illinois - Jim Woods won both the NCAA Division I and Division II heavyweight titles in 1974. Woods rallied from a 4-2 deficit after two periods in the finals to defeat Gary Ernst of Michigan for the Division I title. Woods' victory enabled Oklahoma to nip Michigan in the battle for the team title.
* Olympians
© 2008
National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum
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