Hull to be inducted into Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on August 16
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USA Wrestling's National Teams Director Mitch Hull will receive the Lifetime Service Award from the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Sunday, August 16.
He will be one of six Wisconsin legends to receive the Lifetime Service Awards at a banquet held at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells on August 16. The award is a national honor, but the banquet is held locally to accomodate friends and families of the honorees.
The award recognizes people who have devoted a lifetime as coaches, referees, scorers, benefactors, etc. to the sport of wrestling. All of the honorees have more than twenty years of service to the sport of wrestling.
In addition to being honored at the banquet, the recipients will have their names permanently enshrined in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Hull has worked for USA Wrestling since 1992, directing the U.S. Olympic and World Championship teams and programs, as well as all U.S. teams that compete on the international level.
"It is very humbling," said Hull. "You look at this personally and say why? Anybody who has been involved in wrestling this long will tell you they got more out of it than they ever put in. With all the experiences and the friendships, the journey has been a great trip."
In addition to Hull, this year's honorees are Lee Ecklund of Wisconsin Heights, the Evans Family (Don, Dale, and Steve) of DeForest and Jim Stephenson of Waunakee.
"The highlights have had nothing to do with competitive accomplishments," said Hull. "It has to do with helping kids become better wrestlers and people and with helping college student-athletes. It has to do with seeing in action what wrestling can do as a family. I have been blessed beyond anything that anybody should be. The best part of this is that I will be able to share this with my family back home."
Mitch Hull's Hall of Fame biography
Mitch Hull grew up in Evansville, Wisconsin, the son of Malcolm and Phyllis Hull. Mitch earned ten athletic letters in high school and was All-Conference in football and track. In 1975, Mitch became the first WIAA state wrestling champion for Evansville High School. Later that same year, Mitch became the first Junior National champion from Wisconsin. In fact, he won both the freestyle and the Greco national titles that year.
After graduating from high school, Mitch went to Kansas State to play football before transferring to the University of Wisconsin. His first season at Wisconsin, Mitch wrestled heavyweight despite being grossly undersized. His last two years he wrestled 190, a weight at which he won two Big Ten titles and was a two-time All-American. At the same time he was competing as a Badger, Mitch was also competing internationally. He placed fourth in the Junior World Championships and competed in the Greco-Roman World Championships while he was in college.
After he graduated from U.W., Mitch chose to concentrate on freestyle. He earned a Bronze Medal in the University Games. He and teammate Lee Kemp wrestled in the 1982 World Championships. Mitch is one of only two U.S. wrestlers in the past forty years to compete in the World championships in both freestyle and Greco. In 1984, he finished second in the Olympic Trials.
From 1980-1986 Mitch assisted Russ Hellickson as coach of the Badgers. He also served as the wrestling commissioner for the Badger State Games during those years. In 1986, he became assistant coach at Purdue. Two years later, he took over as head coach of Bollermakers. Under his guidance, the Purdue program underwent a resurgence which included a national championship won by Charlie Jones.
In 1992, the Hulls moved to Colorado Springs where Mitch became the National Team Director for USA Wrestling. As National Team Director, he has overseen the preparation and organization of the U.S. Olympic team for the past five Olympic Games as well as all U.S. teams that compete in international competition.
In 1998, Mitch was the delegation leader for the USA Wrestling team that traveled to Iran to wrestle. This was the first USA team in any sport to go to Iran since the 1979-80 hostage crisis. When the team returned, Mitch accompanied them to the White House to meet President Clinton.
Mitch has also been involved in coaching high school and junior high school wrestling in the Colorado Springs area during his tenure with USA Wrestling. In fact, he founded the Ram Wrestling Club in Colorado Springs.
Two years ago, Mitch and four other Badger wrestlers organized a tribute dinner/alumni reunion that brought together 250 wrestlers and fans to honor Mitch's college coaches Duane Kleven and Russ Hellickson and his college roommate Lee Kemp.
Two months ago, Mitch was the moving force behind a wrestling camp to raise money for Jake Janes, a former Evansville High School wrestler who lost both legs in the war in Afghanistan.
Mitch and his wife Peggy live in Colorado Springs. They have three children: Courtney, Kristina, and Calyn. The Hulls also have two grandchildren.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Banquet
August 16 at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Social Hour 4:00 P.M.
Dinner 5:00 P.M.
Program approx. 6:00 P.M
Tickets $35.00
Contact: Joe Kaster email:thecrossface@sbcglobal.net Phone: 608-758-8758
Biography information on other inductees
Lee Ecklund served as assistant wrestling coach at Wisconsin Heights High School in Mazomanie for 38 years. During that span of years, Wisconsin Heights produced five state champions.
From 1971 until 1991, Lee served as the official scorer for the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament. In 1978, Lee set up the first computerized Wisconsin State Tournament scoring system. In 1991 Lee assumed the role of Administrative Assistant at the state tournament. That position ultimately led to Lee's being named bout coordinator of the state tournament.
Altogether, Lee logged thirty-seven years at the head table of the WIAA State Tournament.
Lee also coached cross-country, basketball, and track at Wisconsin Heights.
Lee retired from teaching in 2003. He and his wife Peg live in Verona.
The Evans family of DeForest has been involved in wrestling in Wisconsin ever since Don went out for wrestling at Madison East High School in 1942. There was one brief interruption while Don served in the Navy during WW II.
When the war was over, Don enrolled in the University of Wisconsin and wrestled for the Badgers in 1946-47. A generation later, Steve, a two-time state champion at Deforest H.S., turned down an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy to wrestle at Wisconsin. When Duane Kleven became coach of the Badgers following the tragic death of George Martin, Steve Evans was his first recruit.
A missed phone call was all that kept older brother Dale from wrestling for the Badgers. He did, however, wrestle for UW-Stout where he was the first-ever four-time WSUC conference champion. He was also a two-time NAIA All-American. From 1974-1979, Dale served as assistant coach for the Badgers.
As good as the Evanses were as competitors, their off-mat contributions to the sport are equally or even more impressive.
Don was the first president of the Wisconsin Weigh-In Club and has been a very generous donor to Wisconsin wrestling. When the Russian Olympic team wrestled in the Field House in 1973, it was Don Evans who footed the bill. That was just one of many such instances of the Evans family's generosity.
Now that Don has retired, Steve and Dale continue the traditon.
In addition to being benefactors, Dale and Steve have years of coaching service between them. Dale has been coaching wrestling--freestyle, Greco, high school, and middle school for 38 years. He also served as president of the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation.
Steve has also been coaching wrestling, primarily high school, for many years. Since 2006, Steve has been head coach of the Madison Edgewood/Monona Grove team.
Don and his wife Joan live in Reno, Nevada. Steve and his wife Julie live in Madison. Dale and his wife Debbie life in Deforest.
Jim Stephenson grew up in Pennsylvania where he was a standout in football and wrestling in high school. After high school, Jim was part of a very good wrestling team at Lock Haven University, but he wanted to study biology and to live close to the wild. So he transferred to UW-Superior where he wrestled for the legendary Mertz Motorelli.
A year as a graduate assistant at UWS and a year with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Arizona preceded his hiring by Waunakee High School. His tenure at Waunakee was interrupted by a five year hiatus to go back to his home town in Pennsylvania to coach.
By the time he retired in 1997, Jim's teams had amassed a 237-199-3 record. He had coached 45 conference champions and 29 state qualifiers, two of whom were state champions.
In addition to his coaching, Jim has been very active in the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association. He chaired the committee that established the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame. Jim actually inducted that charter class in 1977.
In 2001, Jim was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame. Presently, Jim chairs the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association Alumni Chapter. He edited the first edition of Wisconsin Wrestling--1940-2007.
Jim and his wife Wenona live in Waunakee.
He will be one of six Wisconsin legends to receive the Lifetime Service Awards at a banquet held at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells on August 16. The award is a national honor, but the banquet is held locally to accomodate friends and families of the honorees.
The award recognizes people who have devoted a lifetime as coaches, referees, scorers, benefactors, etc. to the sport of wrestling. All of the honorees have more than twenty years of service to the sport of wrestling.
In addition to being honored at the banquet, the recipients will have their names permanently enshrined in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Hull has worked for USA Wrestling since 1992, directing the U.S. Olympic and World Championship teams and programs, as well as all U.S. teams that compete on the international level.
"It is very humbling," said Hull. "You look at this personally and say why? Anybody who has been involved in wrestling this long will tell you they got more out of it than they ever put in. With all the experiences and the friendships, the journey has been a great trip."
In addition to Hull, this year's honorees are Lee Ecklund of Wisconsin Heights, the Evans Family (Don, Dale, and Steve) of DeForest and Jim Stephenson of Waunakee.
"The highlights have had nothing to do with competitive accomplishments," said Hull. "It has to do with helping kids become better wrestlers and people and with helping college student-athletes. It has to do with seeing in action what wrestling can do as a family. I have been blessed beyond anything that anybody should be. The best part of this is that I will be able to share this with my family back home."
Mitch Hull's Hall of Fame biography
Mitch Hull grew up in Evansville, Wisconsin, the son of Malcolm and Phyllis Hull. Mitch earned ten athletic letters in high school and was All-Conference in football and track. In 1975, Mitch became the first WIAA state wrestling champion for Evansville High School. Later that same year, Mitch became the first Junior National champion from Wisconsin. In fact, he won both the freestyle and the Greco national titles that year.
After graduating from high school, Mitch went to Kansas State to play football before transferring to the University of Wisconsin. His first season at Wisconsin, Mitch wrestled heavyweight despite being grossly undersized. His last two years he wrestled 190, a weight at which he won two Big Ten titles and was a two-time All-American. At the same time he was competing as a Badger, Mitch was also competing internationally. He placed fourth in the Junior World Championships and competed in the Greco-Roman World Championships while he was in college.
After he graduated from U.W., Mitch chose to concentrate on freestyle. He earned a Bronze Medal in the University Games. He and teammate Lee Kemp wrestled in the 1982 World Championships. Mitch is one of only two U.S. wrestlers in the past forty years to compete in the World championships in both freestyle and Greco. In 1984, he finished second in the Olympic Trials.
From 1980-1986 Mitch assisted Russ Hellickson as coach of the Badgers. He also served as the wrestling commissioner for the Badger State Games during those years. In 1986, he became assistant coach at Purdue. Two years later, he took over as head coach of Bollermakers. Under his guidance, the Purdue program underwent a resurgence which included a national championship won by Charlie Jones.
In 1992, the Hulls moved to Colorado Springs where Mitch became the National Team Director for USA Wrestling. As National Team Director, he has overseen the preparation and organization of the U.S. Olympic team for the past five Olympic Games as well as all U.S. teams that compete in international competition.
In 1998, Mitch was the delegation leader for the USA Wrestling team that traveled to Iran to wrestle. This was the first USA team in any sport to go to Iran since the 1979-80 hostage crisis. When the team returned, Mitch accompanied them to the White House to meet President Clinton.
Mitch has also been involved in coaching high school and junior high school wrestling in the Colorado Springs area during his tenure with USA Wrestling. In fact, he founded the Ram Wrestling Club in Colorado Springs.
Two years ago, Mitch and four other Badger wrestlers organized a tribute dinner/alumni reunion that brought together 250 wrestlers and fans to honor Mitch's college coaches Duane Kleven and Russ Hellickson and his college roommate Lee Kemp.
Two months ago, Mitch was the moving force behind a wrestling camp to raise money for Jake Janes, a former Evansville High School wrestler who lost both legs in the war in Afghanistan.
Mitch and his wife Peggy live in Colorado Springs. They have three children: Courtney, Kristina, and Calyn. The Hulls also have two grandchildren.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Banquet
August 16 at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
Social Hour 4:00 P.M.
Dinner 5:00 P.M.
Program approx. 6:00 P.M
Tickets $35.00
Contact: Joe Kaster email:thecrossface@sbcglobal.net Phone: 608-758-8758
Biography information on other inductees
Lee Ecklund served as assistant wrestling coach at Wisconsin Heights High School in Mazomanie for 38 years. During that span of years, Wisconsin Heights produced five state champions.
From 1971 until 1991, Lee served as the official scorer for the WIAA State Wrestling Tournament. In 1978, Lee set up the first computerized Wisconsin State Tournament scoring system. In 1991 Lee assumed the role of Administrative Assistant at the state tournament. That position ultimately led to Lee's being named bout coordinator of the state tournament.
Altogether, Lee logged thirty-seven years at the head table of the WIAA State Tournament.
Lee also coached cross-country, basketball, and track at Wisconsin Heights.
Lee retired from teaching in 2003. He and his wife Peg live in Verona.
The Evans family of DeForest has been involved in wrestling in Wisconsin ever since Don went out for wrestling at Madison East High School in 1942. There was one brief interruption while Don served in the Navy during WW II.
When the war was over, Don enrolled in the University of Wisconsin and wrestled for the Badgers in 1946-47. A generation later, Steve, a two-time state champion at Deforest H.S., turned down an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy to wrestle at Wisconsin. When Duane Kleven became coach of the Badgers following the tragic death of George Martin, Steve Evans was his first recruit.
A missed phone call was all that kept older brother Dale from wrestling for the Badgers. He did, however, wrestle for UW-Stout where he was the first-ever four-time WSUC conference champion. He was also a two-time NAIA All-American. From 1974-1979, Dale served as assistant coach for the Badgers.
As good as the Evanses were as competitors, their off-mat contributions to the sport are equally or even more impressive.
Don was the first president of the Wisconsin Weigh-In Club and has been a very generous donor to Wisconsin wrestling. When the Russian Olympic team wrestled in the Field House in 1973, it was Don Evans who footed the bill. That was just one of many such instances of the Evans family's generosity.
Now that Don has retired, Steve and Dale continue the traditon.
In addition to being benefactors, Dale and Steve have years of coaching service between them. Dale has been coaching wrestling--freestyle, Greco, high school, and middle school for 38 years. He also served as president of the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation.
Steve has also been coaching wrestling, primarily high school, for many years. Since 2006, Steve has been head coach of the Madison Edgewood/Monona Grove team.
Don and his wife Joan live in Reno, Nevada. Steve and his wife Julie live in Madison. Dale and his wife Debbie life in Deforest.
Jim Stephenson grew up in Pennsylvania where he was a standout in football and wrestling in high school. After high school, Jim was part of a very good wrestling team at Lock Haven University, but he wanted to study biology and to live close to the wild. So he transferred to UW-Superior where he wrestled for the legendary Mertz Motorelli.
A year as a graduate assistant at UWS and a year with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Arizona preceded his hiring by Waunakee High School. His tenure at Waunakee was interrupted by a five year hiatus to go back to his home town in Pennsylvania to coach.
By the time he retired in 1997, Jim's teams had amassed a 237-199-3 record. He had coached 45 conference champions and 29 state qualifiers, two of whom were state champions.
In addition to his coaching, Jim has been very active in the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association. He chaired the committee that established the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame. Jim actually inducted that charter class in 1977.
In 2001, Jim was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame. Presently, Jim chairs the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association Alumni Chapter. He edited the first edition of Wisconsin Wrestling--1940-2007.
Jim and his wife Wenona live in Waunakee.
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