Cael Norman Sanderson is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler who is the current head coach of Penn State's wrestling team. As a wrestler, he won an Olympic gold medal and was undefeated in four years of college wrestling at Iowa State (159–0), becoming a four-time NCAA Division I champion (1999–2002).
John William Smith is an American folkstyle and freestyle wrestler and coach. Smith was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion, and a six-time world level champion with two Olympic Championships and four World Wrestling Championships. Smith is the only American wrestler ever to win six consecutive World and Olympic championships as a competitor. At the end of his competitive career, Smith had won more World and Olympic gold medals in wrestling than any other American. Smith was widely known for his low single leg takedown, and is considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time.
Edward Clark Gallagher was an American wrestling coach. He coached at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College—now known as Oklahoma State University–Stillwater—from 1916 to 1940. With his knowledge of physical principles like leverage and stress, along with anatomy, he all but invented the modern style of folkstyle wrestling. He remains one of the most successful coaches in NCAA athletics history. Overall in his wrestling coaching career at Oklahoma A&M, his teams went 136–5–4, including 19 undefeated seasons and 11 NCAA titles.
Steve Mocco is an American former amateur wrestler, judoka and mixed martial artist. As a collegiate wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA national champion, four-time finalist, and was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy. In freestyle, he represented the US at the Olympics and was a three-time Pan American Champion. As an MMA fighter, he most notably competed at the WSOF. He is currently a coach at both combat sports, being one of the main coaches at MMA powerhouse American Top Team and an assistant wrestling coach at Lehigh University.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Cowgirls are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater. The program's mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university's current athletic director is Chad Weiberg, who replaced the retiring Mike Holder on July 1, 2021. In total, Oklahoma State has 53 NCAA team national titles, which ranks fifth in most NCAA team national championships. These national titles have come in wrestling (34), golf (11), basketball (2), baseball (1), and cross country (5). Oklahoma State also claims non-NCAA national titles in football (1) and equestrian (1).
Robert Edward Douglas is a retired American freestyle wrestler and coach. He competed as a featherweight at the 1964 and 1968 Olympics and placed fourth in 1964. He won a silver and a bronze medal at the 1966 and 1970 world championships, respectively, and retired later in 1970. After that Douglas coached several U.S Olympic teams, is one of only four collegiate coaches to win more than 400 dual meets, and he won an NCAA team national title at Arizona State. His coaching accomplishments include: 13 NCAA champions, 110 All-America performances, and 68 conference titles.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestling team is the most successful NCAA Division I program of all time in any sport. As of 2021–2022, Oklahoma State wrestling has won 34 team national championships, 143 individual NCAA championships, and 485 All-American honors.
Kevin Andre Jackson is an American retired freestyle and folkstyle wrestler, and mixed martial artist. Following his competitive career, Jackson would become a wrestling coach.
The history of collegiate wrestling can be traced to the many indigenous styles of folk wrestling found in Europe, particularly in Great Britain. Those folk wrestling styles soon gained popularity in what would become the United States, and by the mid-to-late 19th century those styles, especially freestyle wrestling, emerged in gymnasiums and athletic clubs throughout the country. From then on, tournaments were sponsored and a professional circuit of wrestlers helped promote wrestling in the United States and throughout the world.
The Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball team represents Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. All women's teams at the school are known as Cowgirls. The Cowboys currently compete in the Big 12 Conference. In 2020, CBS Sports ranked Oklahoma State the 25th best college basketball program of all-time, ahead of such programs as Oklahoma and Texas. Oklahoma State men’s basketball has a very rich history of success, having won more national titles and advanced to the NCAA Championship, Final Four, Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen more times than any Big 12 program other than Kansas. Oklahoma State has won a combined 23 regular season conference titles and conference tournament titles, which is the most of any program in the state of Oklahoma.
Brent Metcalf is an American former freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. Metcalf was a three-time member of the US World Team and two-time NCAA wrestling champion at the University of Iowa.
The Iowa State Cyclones wrestling team represents Iowa State University (ISU) and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I. The Cyclones are 8 time National Champions, 17 time National Runners-Up, and have 45 Top 4 "Trophy" Finishes. The team is coached by Kevin Dresser. The Cyclones host their home meets at Hilton Coliseum on Iowa State's campus. Iowa State became the second collegiate wrestling program to reach 1,100 dual wins on January 23, 2022.
Leroy (Lee) P. Kemp, Jr. is a former American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. Kemp would achieve success at the high school, collegiate, and international levels.
Alan M. Fried is an American former freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. He was an NCAA National Champion, Espoir World Champion, three-time Ohio State Champion, and the first wrestler to win four Junior National Freestyle titles. He is also an author.
Eric Guerrero is a retired amateur American freestyle wrestler, who competed in the men's lightweight category. He won three consecutive NCAA (1997–1999) and four U.S. Open titles (2001–2004), scored two medals in the 58 and 60-kg division at the Pan American Games, and represented the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Daton Duain Fix is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes internationally at 61 kilograms, and collegiately at 133 pounds. In freestyle, he was the 2021 World Championship runner-up, the 2019 Pan American Games gold medalist, the 2022 Pan American Continental champion, and a two-time US World Team member. In the age group, he was the 2017 Junior World Champion and 2014 Youth Olympic silver medalist. In folkstyle, he is a three-time NCAA Division I national runner-up and five-time Big 12 Conference champion for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Nicholas Piccininni is an American professional mixed martial artist and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes in the flyweight division. As a wrestler, Piccininni became a three–time NCAA Division I All-American and a four–time Big 12 Conference champion out of the Oklahoma State University for John Smith.
Kyle Crutchmer is an American professional mixed martial artist, freestyle wrestler and graduated collegiate wrestler. He currently competes in the welterweight division of Bellator MMA. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA All-American and two-time Big 12 champion.
A.J. Ferrari is an American freestyle wrestler and former folkstyle wrestler who competes internationally at 92 kilograms and collegiately at 197 pounds. He was previously signed by the WWE under its NIL program. In freestyle, he claimed a bronze medal at the 2018 Cadet World Championships and was the 2020 US junior national champion. In folkstyle, Ferrari is a NCAA Division I national champion and Big 12 Conference champion out of Oklahoma State University, and was the top-ranked high school wrestler at the time of his commitment. Ferrari left the OSU wrestling team after local police announced he was under investigation for sexual assault. On August 3, 2022, Ferrari was charged with felony sexual battery. On October 6, 2023, the case was dismissed, with the 15 month citation being closed by the plaintiff's lawyer, citing "vicious attacks" and "harassment" directed at the client as the principle reason.
William Bill Harlow is an American former freestyle and folkstyle wrestler. In 2016, Harlow was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.
