 | Wrestling |
SIUE Wrestling SIUE Athletics | |
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 Tim Wright  Alan Grammer |
March 8, 2006 Two Cougars Named to NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame Tim Wright and Alan Grammer, a pair of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville wrestlers who helped the Cougars to three consecutive national championships in the 1980s, are being inducted into the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Committee for the NCAA II Wrestling Coaches Association will induct the duo on Thursday in Findlay, Ohio at the Findlay Country Club at 7:00 pm. The event precedes the start of the 44th Annual NCAA II National Wrestling Championships, hosted by the University of Findlay. The 11th class of NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame inductees to be inducted also includes Coach Lars Jensen of San Francisco State and Coach P.J. Smith of North Carolina-Pembroke. Tim Wright began his wrestling career at Rock Island High School in Rock Island, Ill. He won two Illinois State Championships and during his final two seasons he notched a record of 64-1. As a senior he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler in Illinois. Wright wrestled for Coach Larry Kristoff, an NCAA Division II Hall of Fame Coach. Wrestling at 118 pounds, wright made NCAA history by becoming the first wrestler to win four consecutive national championships. His team won national titles in 1984, 1985 and 1986, and placed second in 1987. His career mark was 141-6-2, an SIUE record for winning percentage. Wright also earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division I level by placing third nationally. Wright earned a degree in business administration from SIUE. He has been successfully involved in coaching since his days as a competitor. For several years he was an assistant coach at Augustana College, in his hometown of Rock Island, Illinois. While there he helped coach three NCAA III National Champions and six All-Americans. He currently is the assistant coach at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Ind., where he has helped coach four state champions and 13 state qualifiers. In the fall of 2005, Tim was inducted into the inaugural class of the SIUE Athletic Hall of Fame. Tim and his wife, Jennifer, and their five children Ondraius, Brandon, Timmothy, Timolin, and Alannah live in Indianapolis, Ind. Grammer began his wrestling career at Reitz High School in Evansville, Ind. While at Reitz, he was a three time Indiana State Finalist posting an 83-3 record during his four year career. He was a two-time state runner-up and as a senior he won the state championship and was awarded Indiana’s Outstanding Wrestler Award. Grammer wrestled in three NCAA II National Tournaments for the Cougars and his team won by a large margin each year. Grammer won national titles in 1985 and 1986 and earned All-American honors two other times by placing third in the 1985 NCAA I Nationals and fifth in the 1986 NCAA I Nationals. During the 1986 season, he was selected to compete in the prestigious East-West All Star Match and defeated the NCAA I national champion Billy Kelly of Iowa State University 9-7. Grammer's overall career record at SIUE was 119-17-1. Grammer owns and operates Gateway Dog Fence, Inc. with offices in Edwardsville, St. Louis and St. Charles, Mo. He and his wife, Rhonda, and their three children Jordan, Hayden and Sydney live in Edwardsville. -siue cougars- |