National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend underway in Stillwater, Okla., June 2-3
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame will host its 41st Honors Weekend in Stillwater, Okla. this weekend. Included in the weekend are the following activities:
• Social and Presentation of Plaques on Friday, June 2, at 6:00 p.m. at National Wrestling Hall of Fame
• Testimonial Brunch on Saturday, June 3 at 10:00 a.m. at OSU Student Starlight Terrace
• 41st Honors Banquet and induction ceremony on Saturday, June 3, at 7:00 p.m. at the OSU Student Union Ballroom
Four wrestling legends will be inducted as Distinguished Members of the Class of 2017. They include Cary Kolat, Andre Metzger, Chuck Yagla and Tony (Babe) Gizoni, Kolat and Metzger were chosen as Distinguished Members for the Modern Era while Gizoni and Yagla were selected by the Veterans Committee.
Kolat was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, while Yagla was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team which did not compete due to the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Games. Kolat won a silver medal at the 1997 World Championships and a bronze medal in 1998 World Championships. Metzger was a bronze medalist at the 1979 World Championships to become the youngest American at the time to medal at 19 years old. All four were multiple NCAA champions, with Kolat winning two titles for Lock Haven, Metzger winning two titles for Oklahoma, Gizoni winning two titles for Waynesburg and Yagla winning twice for Iowa. Gizoni and Yagla were Outstanding Wrestlers at the NCAA Championships. Kolat is currently head coach at Div. I Campbell University, while Metzger was an assistant coach at three Div. I programs. Yagla became one of the nation’s best wrestling referees, and was won the Meritorious Official award from the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Cary Kolat Distinguished Member biography
Andre Metzger Distinguished Member biography
Chuck Yagla Distinguished Member biography
Tony (Babe) Gizoni Distinguished Member biography
The Outstanding American award, which recognizes individuals who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers off the mat, goes to Captain Dominic (Dom) Pudwill Gorie. A Florida high school wrestler and four-year wrestler at the U.S. Naval Academy, Gorie piloted fighter jets, accumulating more than 600 carrier landings while also flying 38 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. He went on to a stellar career with NASA as an astronaut, with two shuttle missions as a pilot, followed by two more as Mission Commander. Gorie, who retired from NASA in 2010, logged over 49 days in space.
Dominic Pudwill Gorie Outstanding American biography
The Order of Merit, which is presented for significant contributions to the wrestling, but who is not an athlete or a coach, goes to Greg Hatcher. A captain of the Alma College wrestling team in Michigan, he started The Hatcher Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1990, a leader in the insurance industry. He helped start programs and purchased wrestling mats for 65 high schools, a wrestling academy and 10 college programs. He funded the Hatcher Wrestling Center at both Ouachita Baptist University and Lyon College in Arkansas and the Hatcher Wrestling Room at his alma mater.
Greg Hatcher Order of Merit biography
The Medal of Courage recipient, a wrestler who has overcome insurmountable challenges and provides inspiration to others, goes to Tom Green. A 1997 workplace accident, when a pipe burst and sprayed potassium hydroxide in his face, made him blind and his face badly burned. He endured more than 40 surgeries, including reconstructive retinal surgery and a synthetic cornea implant, which eventually led to regaining his sight. One year after the accident, he returned to wrestling as a volunteer assistant coach, helped start a youth program and eventually took over as head wrestling coach for the Port Byron Central School District in New York.
Thomas Irving Green Medal of Courage biography
The Meritorious Official award recognizes outstanding service as a referee, judge, or pairing official, which goes to Mike Hagerty, who has 25 years of experience as an NCAA Division I official and has worked the NCAA Division I Championships from 2003 to present, including 11 finals matches. He has officiated 14 NCAA Division II Championships and has served as the head official four times. Hagerty founded the Inter-Collegiate Wrestling Officials Association in 2015 and continues to serve as Executive Director.
Michael Hagerty Meritorious Official biography
The Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, which recognizes a high school senior boy for excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service, goes to Daton Fix of Oklahoma. Fix is a four-time Oklahoma High School state champion, compiling a 168-0 high school record. He was a Youth Olympic silver medalist in 2014, a Cadet World bronze medalist in 2015 and a Junior World bronze medalist in 2016. He will attend Oklahoma State
Daton Fix Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award biography
The Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, which recognizes a high school senior girl for excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service, goes to Cierra Foster of Idaho. Foster finished third in the Class 5A state boy’s tournament as a freshman, after becoming the first girl to be a 5A district champion in Idaho. She is a two-time champion and five-time finalist at USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals, while also winning the USA Wrestling Cadet Freestyle Nationals and finishing second at USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle Nationals.
Cierra Foster Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award biography
Included in the Hall of Fame Honors Weekend is the annual State Chapters Conference, where the Hall of Fame state chapters leaders from across the nation come together for seminars and best practices sessions to build this growing popular program.
NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME HONORS WEEKEND
At Stillwater, Okla.
Friday, June 2
6:00 p.m. – Social at the Hall of Fame and Museum
7:00 p.m. – Honoree Plaque Presentations at the Hall of Fame and Museum
Saturday, June 3
10:00 a.m. – Testimonial Brunch at OSU Student Starlight Terrace
1:30 p.m. – Fashion Escape at Elizabeth’s Clothing & Gifts
6:00 p.m. – Cocktail Hour at the OSU Student Union Ballroom
7:00 p.m. – Induction Banquet at the OSU Student Union Ballroom
• Social and Presentation of Plaques on Friday, June 2, at 6:00 p.m. at National Wrestling Hall of Fame
• Testimonial Brunch on Saturday, June 3 at 10:00 a.m. at OSU Student Starlight Terrace
• 41st Honors Banquet and induction ceremony on Saturday, June 3, at 7:00 p.m. at the OSU Student Union Ballroom
Four wrestling legends will be inducted as Distinguished Members of the Class of 2017. They include Cary Kolat, Andre Metzger, Chuck Yagla and Tony (Babe) Gizoni, Kolat and Metzger were chosen as Distinguished Members for the Modern Era while Gizoni and Yagla were selected by the Veterans Committee.
Kolat was a member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, while Yagla was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team which did not compete due to the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Games. Kolat won a silver medal at the 1997 World Championships and a bronze medal in 1998 World Championships. Metzger was a bronze medalist at the 1979 World Championships to become the youngest American at the time to medal at 19 years old. All four were multiple NCAA champions, with Kolat winning two titles for Lock Haven, Metzger winning two titles for Oklahoma, Gizoni winning two titles for Waynesburg and Yagla winning twice for Iowa. Gizoni and Yagla were Outstanding Wrestlers at the NCAA Championships. Kolat is currently head coach at Div. I Campbell University, while Metzger was an assistant coach at three Div. I programs. Yagla became one of the nation’s best wrestling referees, and was won the Meritorious Official award from the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Cary Kolat Distinguished Member biography
Andre Metzger Distinguished Member biography
Chuck Yagla Distinguished Member biography
Tony (Babe) Gizoni Distinguished Member biography
The Outstanding American award, which recognizes individuals who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers off the mat, goes to Captain Dominic (Dom) Pudwill Gorie. A Florida high school wrestler and four-year wrestler at the U.S. Naval Academy, Gorie piloted fighter jets, accumulating more than 600 carrier landings while also flying 38 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. He went on to a stellar career with NASA as an astronaut, with two shuttle missions as a pilot, followed by two more as Mission Commander. Gorie, who retired from NASA in 2010, logged over 49 days in space.
Dominic Pudwill Gorie Outstanding American biography
The Order of Merit, which is presented for significant contributions to the wrestling, but who is not an athlete or a coach, goes to Greg Hatcher. A captain of the Alma College wrestling team in Michigan, he started The Hatcher Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1990, a leader in the insurance industry. He helped start programs and purchased wrestling mats for 65 high schools, a wrestling academy and 10 college programs. He funded the Hatcher Wrestling Center at both Ouachita Baptist University and Lyon College in Arkansas and the Hatcher Wrestling Room at his alma mater.
Greg Hatcher Order of Merit biography
The Medal of Courage recipient, a wrestler who has overcome insurmountable challenges and provides inspiration to others, goes to Tom Green. A 1997 workplace accident, when a pipe burst and sprayed potassium hydroxide in his face, made him blind and his face badly burned. He endured more than 40 surgeries, including reconstructive retinal surgery and a synthetic cornea implant, which eventually led to regaining his sight. One year after the accident, he returned to wrestling as a volunteer assistant coach, helped start a youth program and eventually took over as head wrestling coach for the Port Byron Central School District in New York.
Thomas Irving Green Medal of Courage biography
The Meritorious Official award recognizes outstanding service as a referee, judge, or pairing official, which goes to Mike Hagerty, who has 25 years of experience as an NCAA Division I official and has worked the NCAA Division I Championships from 2003 to present, including 11 finals matches. He has officiated 14 NCAA Division II Championships and has served as the head official four times. Hagerty founded the Inter-Collegiate Wrestling Officials Association in 2015 and continues to serve as Executive Director.
Michael Hagerty Meritorious Official biography
The Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, which recognizes a high school senior boy for excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service, goes to Daton Fix of Oklahoma. Fix is a four-time Oklahoma High School state champion, compiling a 168-0 high school record. He was a Youth Olympic silver medalist in 2014, a Cadet World bronze medalist in 2015 and a Junior World bronze medalist in 2016. He will attend Oklahoma State
Daton Fix Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award biography
The Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, which recognizes a high school senior girl for excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service, goes to Cierra Foster of Idaho. Foster finished third in the Class 5A state boy’s tournament as a freshman, after becoming the first girl to be a 5A district champion in Idaho. She is a two-time champion and five-time finalist at USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals, while also winning the USA Wrestling Cadet Freestyle Nationals and finishing second at USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle Nationals.
Cierra Foster Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award biography
Included in the Hall of Fame Honors Weekend is the annual State Chapters Conference, where the Hall of Fame state chapters leaders from across the nation come together for seminars and best practices sessions to build this growing popular program.
NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME HONORS WEEKEND
At Stillwater, Okla.
Friday, June 2
6:00 p.m. – Social at the Hall of Fame and Museum
7:00 p.m. – Honoree Plaque Presentations at the Hall of Fame and Museum
Saturday, June 3
10:00 a.m. – Testimonial Brunch at OSU Student Starlight Terrace
1:30 p.m. – Fashion Escape at Elizabeth’s Clothing & Gifts
6:00 p.m. – Cocktail Hour at the OSU Student Union Ballroom
7:00 p.m. – Induction Banquet at the OSU Student Union Ballroom
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