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Best College Wrestlers of all Time
1. Cael Sanderson. Iowa St 4x NCAA Champion, undefeated in college, 1x Olympic Champion
2. Dan Gable, Iowa St., 1966-71, 6 Midlands, 2 NCAAs, 1 World, 1 Olympic, "20 in 4" club, undefeated in Midlands competition 31-0, retired coach, Iowa
3. Pat Smith-4x NCAA Champion
4. Dan Zilverberg, 158, Minnesota, 1979,
5. Danny Hodge 3x NCAA Champion - 2x NCAA Outstanding Wrestler 1955-57
6. John Smith, 134, Oklahoma State, 1987-88.
7. TJ Jaworsky, 3x NCAA Champion North Carolina
8. Lee Kemp, Wisconsin, 1974-77, 3 Midlands, 3 NCAAs, 6 Opens, 3 Worlds
9. Pat Milkovich-2-time NCAA Champion at Michigan State-2-time NCAA Runner-up - 4-time All American-Youngest NCAA Champion in history at 18 years of age
10. Yojiro Uetake, 130, Oklahoma State, 1964-66.
11. Les Gutches Oregon StateUniversity
 
Others
 
Most Victories, Tournament (Championship Bracket)
 
6 Twice: Dale Anderson, 137 pounds, Michigan State, 1967-68;
Jason Smith, 167, Iowa State, 1969-70; Mike Frick, 134,
Lehigh, 1975-76; Darryl Burley, 134-142, Lehigh, 1979-83;
Jim Zalesky, 158, Iowa, 1983-84; Melvin Douglas, 177,
Oklahoma, 1985-86.
6 Once: Tie among 35 wrestlers, 1968-1996.
 
Most Victories, Career (Championship Bracket)
 
21 Pat Smith, 158, Oklahoma State, 1990-92, 94, no defeats.
20 Lee Kemp, 150-158, Wisconsin, 1975-78, one defeat;
Darryl Burley, 134-142, Lehigh, 1979-81, 83, two defeats;
Jim Zalesky, 158, Iowa, 1981-84, one defeat.
19 Ed Banach, 177-190, Iowa, 1980-83, one defeat; Lincoln
Mcllravy, 142-150, Iowa, 1993-95, 97, one defeat.
18 Pat Milkovich, 126-134, Michigan State, 1972, 74-76, two
defeats; Mark Churella, 150-167, Michigan, 1976-79, one
defeat; Rick Bonomo, Bloomsburg, 118, 1984-87, one
defeat; Pat Santoro, 142, Pittsburgh, 1986-89, two
defeats; Tom Brands, 126-134, Iowa, 1989-92, one defeat,
plus 1-1 record in consolations; Mark Branch, 167,
Oklahoma State, 1994-97, two defeats.
 
Most Falls, Tournament (Pinned All Opponents)
 
5 in 13:52--Chris Taylor, hwt, Iowa State, 1973.
5 in 18:34--Howard Harris, hwt, Oregon State, 1980.
5 in 19:17--William H. Koll, 147.5, Northern Iowa, 1948.
5 in 19:43--Bruce Kinseth, 150, Iowa, 1979.
5 in 20:59--Dan Gable, 137, Iowa State, 1969.
 
Most Falls, Career (Championship Bracket)
 
13 Dan Gable, 130-137-142, Iowa State, 1968-70,
three decisions, one defeat.
11 Dan Hodge, 177, Oklahoma, 1955-57,
two decisions.
Most Consecutive Falls, Career (Championship Bracket)
 
10 Dan Gable, Iowa State, 1969 (5), 1970 (5).
8 Dan Hodge, Oklahoma, 1955 (1), 1956 (4), 1957 (3).
 
Fastest Falls, Tournament
 
Final: 19 seconds--Earl McCready, hwt, Oklahoma State, 1928, over Ralph Freese, Kansas (3-second count).
Touch Fall: 5.5 seconds--Harley "Doc" Strong, 145, Oklahoma State, 1936, over John Hamilton, St. Lawrence, third round.
1-Second Count: 9 seconds--Clarence Richardson, 177, LSU,
1983, over Scott Mansur, Portland State, first round.
2-Second Count: 28 seconds--Dan Hodge, 177, Oklahoma, 1957,
over Gary Haller, Kansas State, quarterfinals.
3-Second Count: 19 seconds--Earl McCready, hwt, Oklahoma
State, 1928, over Ralph Freese, Kansas, final.
 
Most Placings in Top Three, Tournament Career
1-1-1-1: Pat Smith, 158, Oklahoma State, 1990-92, 94. Smith was undefeated in 21 tournament matches.
1-1-2-1: Dick Hutton, hwt, Oklahoma State, 1947-50, Hutton lost
a referee's decision to Verne Gagne, Minnesota, in the 1949 final.
1-1-2-1: Ed Banach, 177-190, Iowa, 1980-83. Banach lost a 16-8
decision to Mark Schultz, Oklahoma, in the 1982 final.
1-1-2-1: Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa, 142-150, Iowa, 1993-95, 97. McIlravy lost a 13-10 decision to Steve Marianetti, Illinois,
in the 1995 final.
2-1-1-1: Lee Kemp, 150-158, Wisconsin, 1975-78. Kemp lost a
split decision to Chuck Yagla, Iowa, in the 1975 final.
3-1-1-1: Mark Churella, 150-67, Michigan, 1976-79. Churella lost a 10-3 decision to Roye Oliver, Arizona State, in the 1976 quarterfinals.
1-1-2-2: Pat Milkovich, 126-134, Michigan State, 1972, 74-76.
Milkovich lost a 5-5, 3-1 decision to John Fritz, Penn State, in the 1975 final, and lost a 7-4 decision to Mike Frick, Lehigh, in the 1976 final.
1-2-2-1: Darryl Burley, 134-142, Lehigh, 1979-81, 83. Burley lost
an 11-3 decision to Randy Lewis, Iowa, in the 1980 final,
and lost a 16-8 decision to Jim Gibbons, Iowa State, in the
1981 final.
1-2-2-1: Mark Branch, 167, Oklahoma State, 1994-97. Branch
lost a 5-3 decision to Markus Mollica, Arizona State, in the
1995 final, and lost by injury defeat to Daryl Weber, Iowa,
in the 1996 final.
1-3-2-1: Joe Scarpello, 175, Iowa, 1947-50. Scarpello lost a 3-0 decision to Glen Brand of Iowa State in the second round and lost a fall to Waldemar Van Cott of Purdue in the fourth round of an international-style bracket in 1948, and lost a 3-1 decision to Jim Gregson of Oklahoma State in the 1949 final.
2-2-2-1: Duane Goldman, 177-190, Iowa, 1983-86. Goldman lost a 4-2 decision to Mark Schultz, Oklahoma, in the 1983 final, lost a 3-2 decision to Jim Scherr, Nebraska, in the 1984 final, and lost a 5-3 decision to Dan Chaid, Oklahoma, in the 1985 final.
 
Season, Career Records
 
Most Victories, Season
 
57 Wade Hughes, 126, George Washington, 1985, four defeats.
55 Joe Gonzales,118, Cal State Bakersfield, 1980, no defeats.
53 John Azevedo, 126, Cal State Bakersfield, 1980, no
defeats; Booker Benford, 177, Southern Illinois-
Edwardsville, 1985, four defeats.
52 Jim Baumgardner, 177, Oregon State, 1983, six defeats.
51 Larry Bielenberg, hwt, Oregon State, 1977, one defeat;
Bill DePaoli, 118, California (Pennsylvania), 1979, three
defeats; Dan Boos, 142, Luther, 1979, three defeats; Dan
Zilverberg, 158, Minnesota, 1979, six defeats.
50 Ed Potokar, 177, Ohio State, 1983, two defeats; Joe
Gibbons, 142, Iowa State,1985, three defeats.
 
Most Victories, Career
 
174 Wade Hughes, 126, George Washington, 1982-85.
169 Howard Harris, 190-hwt, Oregon State, 1977-80.
168 Larry Bielenberg, hwt, Oregon State, 1974-77.
164 Jack Cuvo, 118, East Stroudsburg, 1986-89.
162 Barry Davis, 118-126, Iowa, 1981-83, 1985.
160 Michael Swift, 142-150, California (Pennsylvania),
1990-93.
158 Tom Brands, 126-134, Iowa, 1989-92.
155 Jim Baumgardner, 177-190, Oregon State, 1981-84; Jim Martin, 118-126, Penn State 1986-89.
154 John Smith, 126-134, Oklahoma State, 1984-85, 87-88.
153 Wade Schalles, 150-158, Clarion, 1970-73.
151 Ed Potokar, 177, Ohio State, 1980-83.
150 Matt Demaray, 150, Wisconsin, 1989-92.
150 Kerry McCoy, 190-hwt, Penn State, 1993-95, 97.
 
Most Consecutive Victories, Season
 
55 Joe Gonzales, 118, Cal State Bakersfield, 1980.
53 John Azevedo, 126, Cal State Bakersfield, 1980.
51 Larry Bielenberg, hwt, Oregon State, 1977.
49 Mike Land, 126, Iowa State, 1978.
47 Cariton Haselrig, hwt, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 1987; John
Smith, 134, Oklahoma State, 1988; Kerry McCoy, hwt,
Penn State, 1994.
45 Jack Cuvo, 118, East Stroudsburg, 1989; Tom Brands, 134,
Iowa, 1991.
43 John Smith, 134, Oklahoma State, 1987; Terry Brands,
126, Iowa, 1991.
42 Matt Demaray, 150, Wisconsin, 1991; Troy Steiner, 142,
Iowa, 1992.
40 Jim Zalesky, 158, Iowa, 1982.
 
Most Consecutive Victories, Career
98 Dan Gable, 130-137-142, Iowa State, 1968-70.
90 John Smith, 134, Oklahoma State, 1987-88.
89 Jim Zalesky, 158, Iowa, 1982-84; Jack Cuvo, 118, East Stroudsburg, 1987-89.
88 Kerry McCoy, hwt, Penn State, 1994-95.
87 Lee Kemp, 158, Wisconsin, 1976-78.
84 E. Gray Simons, 115, Lock Haven, 1959-62; Mike Land, 126-134, Iowa State, 1977-79.
81 Randy Lewis, 134, Iowa, 1979-81.
74 Greg Strobel, 190, Oregon State, 1973-74; Mike Sheets, 167, Oklahoma State, 1983-84.
 
Most Victories, Season, Without Defeat or Tie
55 Joe Gonzales, 118, Cal State Bakersfield, 1980.
53 John Azevedo, 126, Cal State Bakersfield, 1980.
49 Mike Land, 126, Iowa State, 1978.
47 Carlton Haselrig, hwt, Pittsburgh-Johnstown, 1987; John
Smith, 134, Oklahoma State,1988; Kerry McCoy, hwt, Penn
State, 1994.
45 Jack Cuvo, 118, East Stroudsburg, 1989; Tom Brands, 134,
Iowa, 1991.
42 Matt Demaray, 150, Wisconsin, 1991; Troy Steiner, 142,
Iowa, 1992.
41 Kerry McCoy, hwt, Penn State, 1997.
40 Jim Zalesky, 158, Iowa, 1982.
37 Dan Gable, 137, Iowa State, 1968.
34 Alan Fried, 142-150, Oklahoma State, 1993.
 
Most Victories, Career, Without Defeat or Tie
 
58 Yojiro Uetake, 130, Oklahoma State, 1964-66.
46 Dan Hodge, 177, Oklahoma, 1955-57.
43 William H. Koll, 145-147.5, Northern Iowa, 1942, 46-48.
 
Most Consecutive Matches Without Defeat
 
122 Cariton Haselrig, hwt, Pitt-Johnstown, 1987-89, one draw. 105 Wade Schalles, 150-158, Clarion, 1971-73, one draw.
103 Lee Kemp, 158, Wisconsin, 1976-78, one draw.
98 Dan Gable, 130-137-142, Iowa State, 1968-70, no draws; Pat Smith, 158, Oklahoma State, 1991-92, 94, one draw.
91 Randy Lewis, 134, Iowa, 1979-81, one draw.
90 John Smith, 134, Oklahoma State, 1987-88, no draws.
88 Chris Taylor, hwt, Iowa State, 1972-73, one draw; Kerry McCoy, hwt, Penn State, 1993-94, no draws.
 
Most Falls, Season
44 Chris Taylor, hwt, Iowa State, 1973.
40 Howard Harris, hwt, Oregon State, 1980.
 
Most Falls, Career
 
110 Al Sears, hwt, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 1982-85.
106 Wade Schalles, 150-158, Clarion, 1970-73.
95 Larry Bielenberg, hwt, Oregon State, 1974-77.
87 Howard Harris, hwt, Oregon State, 1977-80.