Olympian, Olympic coach and Oregon head coach Ron Finley, 75, passed away
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling has learned that Ron Finley, a 1964 Olympian, 1984 Olympic Greco-Roman coach and longtime head wrestling coach at the University of Oregon, passed away yesterday at the age of 75. According to media reports, Finley had been battling cancer recently.
Finley placed fourth in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in Greco-Roman at 63 kg. He was also a member of three U.S. World Teams, placing fourth in the 1962 and 1963 World Championships in freestyle, and sixth at the 1966 World Championships in Greco-Roman.
He was the head coach of the historic 1984 U.S. Olympic Team in Greco-Roman, which won the first Olympic medals for the United States in Greco-Roman in history. His team featured gold-medalists Steve Fraser (90 kg) and Jeff Blatnick (HWT), plus silver medalist Greg Gibson (100 kg) and bronze medalist Jim Martinez (68 kg).
“I really thought a lot of him as the head coach of our Olympic team, working with coach Pavel Katsen and others,” said 1984 Olympic Greco-Roman champion Steve Fraser, who now works with USA Wrestling. “I think the world of Ron Finley. He was a great coach, a steady coach. He really helped us prepare for the Los Angeles Games. I feel grateful for what he did for me and for our nation.”
In college, Finley competed under the legendary Dale Thomas at Oregon State, where he was an NCAA runner-up at 137 pounds in 1961. He won two Oregon state high school titles for Newberg High School
Finley served as head wrestling coach at the University of Oregon from 1970-1988. Finley had a 309-186-8 record in dual meets. The highest NCAA finish for the Ducks under Finley was 11th in 1980. Oregon won Pac-10 championships in 1975, 1981 and 1982 under Finley and was the runner-up in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1980. He coached 42 individual conference champions.
After Oregon dropped its varsity wrestling team years after Finley retired, he helped found the Save Oregon Wrestling Foundation, which worked to raise money to bring back wrestling at Oregon and other colleges in the state, and funded scholarships for Oregon high school wrestlers to compete in college.
University of Oregon alumni Hank Hosfield posted this on the Save Oregon Wrestling website about his mentor and friend: “You taught me many valuable things—much by example. You’re always eager to volunteer and give back. Your positivity is infectious. Your competitive spirit rivals any. And your heart is boundless. This life we’re given is for helping each other through—learning, teaching and loving. You’ve done your bit and more.”
He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.
OREGON LIVE: Ron Finley, longtime Oregon Ducks wrestling coach, dies at 75
REGISTER GUARD: Former UO wrestling coach Ron Finley dies
Finley placed fourth in the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in Greco-Roman at 63 kg. He was also a member of three U.S. World Teams, placing fourth in the 1962 and 1963 World Championships in freestyle, and sixth at the 1966 World Championships in Greco-Roman.
He was the head coach of the historic 1984 U.S. Olympic Team in Greco-Roman, which won the first Olympic medals for the United States in Greco-Roman in history. His team featured gold-medalists Steve Fraser (90 kg) and Jeff Blatnick (HWT), plus silver medalist Greg Gibson (100 kg) and bronze medalist Jim Martinez (68 kg).
“I really thought a lot of him as the head coach of our Olympic team, working with coach Pavel Katsen and others,” said 1984 Olympic Greco-Roman champion Steve Fraser, who now works with USA Wrestling. “I think the world of Ron Finley. He was a great coach, a steady coach. He really helped us prepare for the Los Angeles Games. I feel grateful for what he did for me and for our nation.”
In college, Finley competed under the legendary Dale Thomas at Oregon State, where he was an NCAA runner-up at 137 pounds in 1961. He won two Oregon state high school titles for Newberg High School
Finley served as head wrestling coach at the University of Oregon from 1970-1988. Finley had a 309-186-8 record in dual meets. The highest NCAA finish for the Ducks under Finley was 11th in 1980. Oregon won Pac-10 championships in 1975, 1981 and 1982 under Finley and was the runner-up in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1980. He coached 42 individual conference champions.
After Oregon dropped its varsity wrestling team years after Finley retired, he helped found the Save Oregon Wrestling Foundation, which worked to raise money to bring back wrestling at Oregon and other colleges in the state, and funded scholarships for Oregon high school wrestlers to compete in college.
University of Oregon alumni Hank Hosfield posted this on the Save Oregon Wrestling website about his mentor and friend: “You taught me many valuable things—much by example. You’re always eager to volunteer and give back. Your positivity is infectious. Your competitive spirit rivals any. And your heart is boundless. This life we’re given is for helping each other through—learning, teaching and loving. You’ve done your bit and more.”
He was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.
OREGON LIVE: Ron Finley, longtime Oregon Ducks wrestling coach, dies at 75
REGISTER GUARD: Former UO wrestling coach Ron Finley dies
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