#ThrowbackThursday: Olympic and World medalist, 3-time NCAA champion Lincoln McIlravy
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Lincoln McIlravy of the University of Iowa, USA Wrestling file photo
Lincoln McIlravy was a top star at every level of the sport of wrestling, one of those talented and motivated athletes who made a huge impact as he climbed the ladder of success in the USA and around the world.
A native of Philip, S.D., McIlravy was a legend in his home state, winning five state high school titles and winning big on the national scene through USA Wrestling’s age-group programs. McIlravy won titles at both the Cadet Nationals and Junior Nationals in freestyle.
He chose to compete for the legendary Dan Gable at the University of Iowa, and became one of the greatest Hawkeye wrestlers of all time. Pulled out of redshirt as a true freshman, McIlravy reached the NCAA finals and came from behind to win one of the wildest NCAA matches in memory, a 16-15 win over talented Gerry Abas of Fresno State.
Click here for Lincoln McIlravy’s Hall of Fame bio
He quickly became one of the top college stars in the nation, adding another NCAA title as a sophomore by beating Michigan’s Brian Harper in the 150-pound finals. In his junior year, McIlravy was on a 52-match winning streak going into the 1995 NCAA finals, when he was upset by Illinois star Steve Marianetti in the championship match on his home mats in Iowa City. McIlravy had beaten Marianetti in the Big Ten Championships two weeks prior.
After a redshirt year in 1996 to pursue the Olympics, McIlravy returned to the Iowa lineup and reached his fourth NCAA Championships finals, beating Chris Bono of Iowa State to win the 1997 NCAA title at 150 pounds. This was Dan Gable’s final season as Hawkeye head coach, and McIlravy was on three of Gable’s NCAA championship teams (1994, 1995, 1997).
Trivia Question: Name the athletes McIlravy beat in the bronze-medal bouts at the 1998 World Championships and the 2000 Olympic Games. (Answer at the bottom of this story)
His transition into freestyle went very smoothly, as McIlravy competed in freestyle while still in college. He was second in the 1996 U.S. Open and third in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and also won a bronze medal at the respected Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia in 1996, all while having college eligibility.
Once he was able to focus fully on freestyle, he made his first Senior World Team in 1997, just months after completing his college career. McIlravy went on to be a dominant wrestler throughout the entire 1997-2000 Olympic quadrennium, making four straight U.S. World or Olympic teams. His first World medal was a bronze in 1998, and he followed that up with a silver medal at the 1999 World Championships. He was well known for having excellent technique, strong conditioning and a real knack for how to wrestle freestyle effectively.
McIlravy ran off four straight U.S. Open titles (1997-2000). He won three straight World Cup individual gold medals (1998-2000). Add in a 1998 Goodwill Games gold medal and a 1999 Pan American Games title, and he was winning at the highest levels.
He had a big rivalry with one of the other greats of his generation, Nigerian-born Daniel Igali of Canada. McIlravy had been able to beat Igali in a number of major events as both improved and became the top two stars in the weight class. Igali was able to beat McIlravy for the first time at a major event during the 1999 World Championship finals.
After McIlravy made the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team with a strong effort at the Olympic Trials in Dallas, he ran into Igali on his side of the bracket at the Sydney Olympics and lost to Igali again. McIlravy came back to claim the bronze medal, his third straight World or Olympic medal for Team USA.
McIlravy left competition and spent some time coaching, including a stint as USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Resident Coach from 2001-2002. He made a short comeback in 2003, but with the weight classes changed from when he had competed, he did not fit well into the new weight structure.
McIlravy became a very successful businessman, getting involved in the hotel industry, and owns hotel properties in the Iowa market. He has kept in touch with wrestling, and has been supportive of the sport in a variety of ways since going into business.
When you look at a total career, starting in youth and high school programs, going through college and onto the World and Olympic levels in freestyle, few American athletes can match the level of achievements or the technical skills that Lincoln McIlravy displayed his entire career. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2010.
Trivia Question Answer: In the 1998 World bronze medal match in Tehran, Iran, Lincoln McIlravy defeated Daniel Igali of Canada. In the 2000 Olympic Games bronze-medal match in Sydney, Australia, McIlravy defeated Sergej Demtchenko of Belarus.
Lincoln McIlravy was a top star at every level of the sport of wrestling, one of those talented and motivated athletes who made a huge impact as he climbed the ladder of success in the USA and around the world.
A native of Philip, S.D., McIlravy was a legend in his home state, winning five state high school titles and winning big on the national scene through USA Wrestling’s age-group programs. McIlravy won titles at both the Cadet Nationals and Junior Nationals in freestyle.
He chose to compete for the legendary Dan Gable at the University of Iowa, and became one of the greatest Hawkeye wrestlers of all time. Pulled out of redshirt as a true freshman, McIlravy reached the NCAA finals and came from behind to win one of the wildest NCAA matches in memory, a 16-15 win over talented Gerry Abas of Fresno State.
Click here for Lincoln McIlravy’s Hall of Fame bio
He quickly became one of the top college stars in the nation, adding another NCAA title as a sophomore by beating Michigan’s Brian Harper in the 150-pound finals. In his junior year, McIlravy was on a 52-match winning streak going into the 1995 NCAA finals, when he was upset by Illinois star Steve Marianetti in the championship match on his home mats in Iowa City. McIlravy had beaten Marianetti in the Big Ten Championships two weeks prior.
After a redshirt year in 1996 to pursue the Olympics, McIlravy returned to the Iowa lineup and reached his fourth NCAA Championships finals, beating Chris Bono of Iowa State to win the 1997 NCAA title at 150 pounds. This was Dan Gable’s final season as Hawkeye head coach, and McIlravy was on three of Gable’s NCAA championship teams (1994, 1995, 1997).
Trivia Question: Name the athletes McIlravy beat in the bronze-medal bouts at the 1998 World Championships and the 2000 Olympic Games. (Answer at the bottom of this story)
His transition into freestyle went very smoothly, as McIlravy competed in freestyle while still in college. He was second in the 1996 U.S. Open and third in the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and also won a bronze medal at the respected Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia in 1996, all while having college eligibility.
Once he was able to focus fully on freestyle, he made his first Senior World Team in 1997, just months after completing his college career. McIlravy went on to be a dominant wrestler throughout the entire 1997-2000 Olympic quadrennium, making four straight U.S. World or Olympic teams. His first World medal was a bronze in 1998, and he followed that up with a silver medal at the 1999 World Championships. He was well known for having excellent technique, strong conditioning and a real knack for how to wrestle freestyle effectively.
McIlravy ran off four straight U.S. Open titles (1997-2000). He won three straight World Cup individual gold medals (1998-2000). Add in a 1998 Goodwill Games gold medal and a 1999 Pan American Games title, and he was winning at the highest levels.
He had a big rivalry with one of the other greats of his generation, Nigerian-born Daniel Igali of Canada. McIlravy had been able to beat Igali in a number of major events as both improved and became the top two stars in the weight class. Igali was able to beat McIlravy for the first time at a major event during the 1999 World Championship finals.
After McIlravy made the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team with a strong effort at the Olympic Trials in Dallas, he ran into Igali on his side of the bracket at the Sydney Olympics and lost to Igali again. McIlravy came back to claim the bronze medal, his third straight World or Olympic medal for Team USA.
McIlravy left competition and spent some time coaching, including a stint as USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Resident Coach from 2001-2002. He made a short comeback in 2003, but with the weight classes changed from when he had competed, he did not fit well into the new weight structure.
McIlravy became a very successful businessman, getting involved in the hotel industry, and owns hotel properties in the Iowa market. He has kept in touch with wrestling, and has been supportive of the sport in a variety of ways since going into business.
When you look at a total career, starting in youth and high school programs, going through college and onto the World and Olympic levels in freestyle, few American athletes can match the level of achievements or the technical skills that Lincoln McIlravy displayed his entire career. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2010.
Trivia Question Answer: In the 1998 World bronze medal match in Tehran, Iran, Lincoln McIlravy defeated Daniel Igali of Canada. In the 2000 Olympic Games bronze-medal match in Sydney, Australia, McIlravy defeated Sergej Demtchenko of Belarus.
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