Discover the trailblazers from Ohio who were the first to accomplish amazing feats in the sport of wrestling
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Ohio wrestling firsts and other accomplishments
1919 – Ohio University mans the first ever collegiate wrestling program in Ohio. The team was formed and coached by Thor Olson, a former World Middleweight Champion.
1920 – Ohio State University fields its first wrestling team. Captain of the team, Perry Martter of Grandview Heights, wins the Western Conference championship in the light-heavy class.
Perry Martter pictured third from left
1924 – Perry Martter (Grandview Heights) and Harry Steel (Canton McKinley) become the first wrestlers from Ohio to make a US Olympic team.
1924 – Harry Steel (Canton McKinley) becomes the first wrestler from Ohio to win an Olympic gold medal.
1932 – Kermit Blosser (Logan) becomes the first wrestler from Ohio to win an NCAA championship.
1938 – The first Ohio High School state wrestling tournament is held at Cleveland John Hay High School. Peter Brdar of John Hay becomes Ohio’s first individual state champion by winning the 95-pound weight class. Although John Hay earns the most points (22), no team champion is presented.
1939 – Cleveland John Hay wins the first Ohio high school state team championship with 23 points. Cleveland West Tech, Cleveland Rhodes, Garfield Heights, and Shadyside all tie for second place with 14 points.
Front: Peter Brdar, Joseph Leyback, Leonard Weisenberg, Joseph Incorvaia, James Keane, Pat Scrima
Back: Adolph Albanese (manager), Frank Jaros, Edmund Chojnicki, Charles Kolesnicky, Walter Heller, Jack Cavano, Sam RAnallo, Mr. Kester (coach)
1940 – George Downes (Magnolia) becomes Ohio State University’s first NCAA wrestling champion.
1948 – John Matteucci (Cleveland West) becomes Ohio’s first three-time state wrestling champion.
1951 – Cleveland West wins the Ohio high school wrestling team championship with 6 individual champions, 4 of them consecutive. Their record 6 champions stood until 2009 when St. Paris Graham crowned 7.
Champions: Roberg Pogue (121-lbs), Vince Matteucci (128-lbs), Fred Darienzo (134-lbs), Emil Palmieri (139-lbs), Pete Rossi (155-lbs), Richard Bonacci (166-lbs)
Row 1: Bob Stilla, Joe Scarl
Row 2: Ernest Rocco, Vince Matteucci, Dick Bonacci
Row 3: Pete Rossi, Emil Palmieri, Fred Darienzo, Jim Schiller, Bob Pogue, John Morabito, Al Medaglia
Row 4: Bill Warnkin (Mgr), Chuck Bilardo, Dan Vacca, Sandy Colisim, Ron Depolo, Harold Kester (coach)
1951 – Dick Bonacci (Cleveland West) becomes Ohio’s first undefeated three-time state champion.
1954 – Jim Dregalla (Cleveland John Marshall) becomes Ohio’s first three-time heavyweight state champion.
1956 – Bill Kerslake (Euclid Central) records the Guinness World Record for “fastest pin in national tournament competition” by pinning Ralph Bartleman in 4 seconds to win the 1956 AAU Greco-Roman national championship.
1958 – Ludie Graddy (John Adams) becomes the first black Ohio high school state wrestling champion by defeating Euclid’s Bill Murphy 4-3 in the 145-pound finals.
1962 – Carl Hoppel (Lisbon Beaver) becomes Ohio’s first freshman to win a state wrestling title.
1968 – Bobby Douglas (Bridgeport) defeats the legendary Dan Gable 11-1 to claim the spot on the 1968 US Olympic team.
1972 – Wayne Holmes (Columbus Central) becomes the first wrestler from the US to compete in the 48 kg weight-class at the Olympics.
1972 – At the age of 18 years and 3 months, Pat Milkovich (Maple Heights) becomes the youngest NCAA wrestling champion in history.
Pat Milkovich (front, second from left)
1973 – Tom Milkovich (Maple Heights) becomes the first wrestler to go undefeated in Big Ten competition.
1975 – Lee Kemp (Chardon), at the age of 18, defeats Dan Gable 7-6 in the finals of the Northern Open.
1978 – At the age of 21 years, 8 months, Lee Kemp (Chardon) becomes the youngest American wrestler to win a world or Olympic gold medal.
1979 – Mark Zimmer (St. Francis DeSales) becomes Ohio’s first wrestler to win four state titles.
1982 – Lee Kemp (Chardon) becomes the first American to win three world championships.
1983 – Jim and Jeff Jordan (St. Paris Graham) become the first set of brothers to win four Ohio state wrestling titles after Jeff wins his fourth in 1983. Jim won his fourth in 1982.
1987 – Greg Elinsky (Lakewood St. Edward) becomes Penn State’s first four-time all-American.
1989 – Alan Fried (Lakewood St. Edward) becomes the first and only four-time Junior National Freestyle Champion in USA history.
1990 – Brian Dolph (North Canton Hoover) becomes Indiana University’s first three-time all-American after winning the 1990 NCAA championship.
1990 – Dan St. John (Cleveland St. Joseph) becomes Arizona State’s first two-time NCAA champion.
1991 – The DiSabato brothers (Bishop Ready) combine for a record 11 state titles after Dominic wins his third. Vince (2), Leo (2), Luke (1) , Mike (1), Adam (2), and Dominic (3).
1992 – At 28 years old, Charlie Jones (Sandusky) becomes the oldest wrestler to ever win an NCAA title. He did so ten years after graduating high school.
1993 – Adam DiSabato (Bishop Ready) becomes Ohio State University’s first three-time all-American.
1993 – Kevin Randleman (Sandusky) becomes Ohio State University’s first two-time NCAA champion.
1994 – Willie Wineberg (Fairfield) becomes the first wrestler to win four state titles in Ohio’s large school division.
1996 – John McGhee (Coventry) becomes the first four-time Ohio state champion to win all of his titles at 135 pounds and above.
1997 – Mark Coleman (Fremont St. Joe’s) becomes the UFC’s first heavyweight champion by submitting Dan Severn in UFC 12.
1999 – Four-time state champion, Jared Opfer, ends his career holding almost every major OHSAA wrestling record: career wins (211), career falls (139), career takedowns (959), season takedowns (333), and season falls (46).
2004 – Tommy Rowlands becomes Ohio State University’s first four-time all-American and sets career records for: wins (164), takedowns (705), and team points (703).
2011 – One year after Logan Stieber wins his fourth state title; Hunter Stieber, Cam Tessari, and Chris Phillips win their fourth for Monroeville. They become the first team to have multiple four-timers in the same year.
2015 – Logan Stieber (Monroeville) wins his fourth NCAA division 1 title – just the fourth wrestler ever to do so.
2018 – Rocky Jordan (St. Paris Graham) wins his third state title giving the Jordan brothers a combined 11, tying them with the DiSabatos. Bo (4), Micah (4), Rocky (3)
2018 – David Carr (Dayton Christian/Massillon Perry) becomes the first five-time state champion to finish his career in Ohio. He won one title in Kentucky before winning four in Ohio.
2020 – David Taylor (St. Paris Graham) wins the Olympic gold medal by defeating reigning Olympic and World Champion Hassan Yazdani of Iran.
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Ohio wrestling history, Ohio high school wrestling history, Ohio’s best high school wrestlers of all-time, Ohio wrestling firsts