Dan Gable Museum announces 2015 Glen Brand HOF Class
WATERLOO, Iowa—A World silver medalist, a Junior World champion, a four-time All-American, two record setting high school coaches, and a record setting team will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on May 30, 2015. The Hall of Fame is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum.
The Class of 2015 includes Rich Binek, Mike Mann, Rick Caldwell, Mike Zadick, Fred Cooper (posthumously), and the 1997 University of Iowa wrestling team.
The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa was established in 2002 to honor the people who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the State of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa school.
Rich Binek was a two-time All-American and an NCAA champion for Iowa State. He won the NCAA wrestling tournament in 1973 and the Big Eight championships in 1972, both at 177 pounds. Binek was a state wrestling champion for West Waterloo High School in 1969 at 165 pounds. He also won the Junior World Tournament the same year.
Mike Mann was a four-time All-American for Iowa State University, reaching the finals of the NCAA tournament at 190 pounds in 1982 and 1983. He was also a Big Eight champion in 1983 and a Midlands champion in 1981. The former Cyclone star compiled 113 wins during his collegiate career. Mann was a state wrestling champion for Marshalltown (1978) where he currently serves as the head wrestling coach.
Rick Caldwell was the head wrestling coach at Waverly-Shell Rock for 12 seasons (2000-2011). During his tenure the Go-Hawks won five traditional state team titles (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011) and four state dual team titles (2005, 2008, 2009, and 2010). Caldwell’s 2008 team set the all-time record for points at the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament at 225. He also coached his son, Cody, to three individual state wrestling championships (2009-2011)
Mike Zadick was a silver medalist at the 2006 Freestyle World Championships at 132 pounds. He also made the 2008 Olympic team and was a member of World Championship teams in 2007 and 2010. Zadick wrestled for Great Falls High School in Montana where he was a four-time state champion in four different weight classes (1994-1997). He went on to wrestle for the University of Iowa where he was a three-time All-American (2000-2002) as well as a Big Ten champion (2002).
Fred Cooper coached Fort Dodge High School to nine Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships (1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1936, and 1941) and eight runner-up teams. Cooper also coached 28 individual state champions. He ranks third all-time on the list of coaches with the most state wrestling championships within the state of Iowa. Cooper died in 1947 at the age of 51.
The 1997 University of Iowa wrestling team will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling of Iowa. This is the third team to be inducted. The Hawkeyes won the NCAA tournament with a record-setting performance at the UNI Dome on the campus of Northern Iowa. Iowa scored 170 points (the all-time record for points at an NCAA Division I wrestling tournament) with eight All-Americans, six finalists, and five NCAA champions. It was also the 15th and final championship of Dan Gable’s legendary coaching career. Gable retired after 21 seasons as head wrestling coach of the University of Iowa.
The starting line-up included Jessie Whitmer (118), Mike Mena (126), Mark Ironside (134), Kasey Gillis (142), Lincoln McIlravy (150), Joe Williams (158), Mike Uker (167), Tony Ersland (177), Lee Fullhart (190), and Wes Hand (275). Assistant coaches were Jim Zalesky, Tom Brands, and Terry Brands.
Two special awards will also be given during the induction ceremony.
Jeff Voss will receive the Bob Siddens High School Coaching Excellence Award. The award is given to an Iowa high school wrestling coach who exhibits the high standards that Bob Siddens set during his legendary coaching career. Siddens coached West Waterloo to 11 state team titles and a 327-26 dual meet record.
Voss currently serves as the head wrestling coach at West Delaware High School, a position he has held since 1996. He led his team to its first state wrestling championship in 2013 (2A). Voss has an overall dual meet record of 332-72-1 (one season at Monticello with 19 seasons at West Delaware). He has also coached his teams to 15 conference dual meet titles, 10 conference tournament titles, and five finishes in the top six at the state wrestling tournament.
Joe and Julie Breitbach and Larry Hamilton will receive the Russ Smith Community Impact Award. The award is given to individuals demonstrating exceptional local impact on wrestling within the state of Iowa.
For the past 10 years, the Breitbachs have organized the Desert Duals in Las Vegas, a tournament that features 16 teams from across the country. They also host “Fight Night” in Waverly, Iowa, a pre-season wrestling kick-off that began in 1993. The kick-off features coaches from local high schools and colleges, including all three Division I head wrestling coaches from the state. A former wrestler, Joe graduated from East Waterloo in 1967 and from Wartburg in 1971. He served as an assistant wrestling coach for the Knights until 1985 and officiated from 1974 through 1990. Julie also graduated from Wartburg, as did all three of their children.
Hamilton contributed to wrestling in a variety of ways, most notably through his support of Northern Iowa and Wartburg wrestling. He organized the Panther Wrestling Club Golf outing, which has since been named the Larry Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament. He also sold more season wrestling tickets than anyone in the history of the program. A seat at the West Gym (home of UNI wrestling) has been named in Hamilton’s honor. Hamilton died on Jan. 25, 2014, leaving the Grand View wrestling tournament in Des Moines.
A banquet honoring all inductees and award winners will be held at Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls on Saturday, May 30. For more information contact the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or dgmstaff@nwhof.org.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is a not-for-profit organization based out of Waterloo, Iowa. The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to preserve history, recognize excellence, and inspire future generations.
The Class of 2015 includes Rich Binek, Mike Mann, Rick Caldwell, Mike Zadick, Fred Cooper (posthumously), and the 1997 University of Iowa wrestling team.
The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa was established in 2002 to honor the people who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the State of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa school.
Rich Binek was a two-time All-American and an NCAA champion for Iowa State. He won the NCAA wrestling tournament in 1973 and the Big Eight championships in 1972, both at 177 pounds. Binek was a state wrestling champion for West Waterloo High School in 1969 at 165 pounds. He also won the Junior World Tournament the same year.
Mike Mann was a four-time All-American for Iowa State University, reaching the finals of the NCAA tournament at 190 pounds in 1982 and 1983. He was also a Big Eight champion in 1983 and a Midlands champion in 1981. The former Cyclone star compiled 113 wins during his collegiate career. Mann was a state wrestling champion for Marshalltown (1978) where he currently serves as the head wrestling coach.
Rick Caldwell was the head wrestling coach at Waverly-Shell Rock for 12 seasons (2000-2011). During his tenure the Go-Hawks won five traditional state team titles (2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011) and four state dual team titles (2005, 2008, 2009, and 2010). Caldwell’s 2008 team set the all-time record for points at the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament at 225. He also coached his son, Cody, to three individual state wrestling championships (2009-2011)
Mike Zadick was a silver medalist at the 2006 Freestyle World Championships at 132 pounds. He also made the 2008 Olympic team and was a member of World Championship teams in 2007 and 2010. Zadick wrestled for Great Falls High School in Montana where he was a four-time state champion in four different weight classes (1994-1997). He went on to wrestle for the University of Iowa where he was a three-time All-American (2000-2002) as well as a Big Ten champion (2002).
Fred Cooper coached Fort Dodge High School to nine Iowa High School State Wrestling Championships (1927, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936, 1936, and 1941) and eight runner-up teams. Cooper also coached 28 individual state champions. He ranks third all-time on the list of coaches with the most state wrestling championships within the state of Iowa. Cooper died in 1947 at the age of 51.
The 1997 University of Iowa wrestling team will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling of Iowa. This is the third team to be inducted. The Hawkeyes won the NCAA tournament with a record-setting performance at the UNI Dome on the campus of Northern Iowa. Iowa scored 170 points (the all-time record for points at an NCAA Division I wrestling tournament) with eight All-Americans, six finalists, and five NCAA champions. It was also the 15th and final championship of Dan Gable’s legendary coaching career. Gable retired after 21 seasons as head wrestling coach of the University of Iowa.
The starting line-up included Jessie Whitmer (118), Mike Mena (126), Mark Ironside (134), Kasey Gillis (142), Lincoln McIlravy (150), Joe Williams (158), Mike Uker (167), Tony Ersland (177), Lee Fullhart (190), and Wes Hand (275). Assistant coaches were Jim Zalesky, Tom Brands, and Terry Brands.
Two special awards will also be given during the induction ceremony.
Jeff Voss will receive the Bob Siddens High School Coaching Excellence Award. The award is given to an Iowa high school wrestling coach who exhibits the high standards that Bob Siddens set during his legendary coaching career. Siddens coached West Waterloo to 11 state team titles and a 327-26 dual meet record.
Voss currently serves as the head wrestling coach at West Delaware High School, a position he has held since 1996. He led his team to its first state wrestling championship in 2013 (2A). Voss has an overall dual meet record of 332-72-1 (one season at Monticello with 19 seasons at West Delaware). He has also coached his teams to 15 conference dual meet titles, 10 conference tournament titles, and five finishes in the top six at the state wrestling tournament.
Joe and Julie Breitbach and Larry Hamilton will receive the Russ Smith Community Impact Award. The award is given to individuals demonstrating exceptional local impact on wrestling within the state of Iowa.
For the past 10 years, the Breitbachs have organized the Desert Duals in Las Vegas, a tournament that features 16 teams from across the country. They also host “Fight Night” in Waverly, Iowa, a pre-season wrestling kick-off that began in 1993. The kick-off features coaches from local high schools and colleges, including all three Division I head wrestling coaches from the state. A former wrestler, Joe graduated from East Waterloo in 1967 and from Wartburg in 1971. He served as an assistant wrestling coach for the Knights until 1985 and officiated from 1974 through 1990. Julie also graduated from Wartburg, as did all three of their children.
Hamilton contributed to wrestling in a variety of ways, most notably through his support of Northern Iowa and Wartburg wrestling. He organized the Panther Wrestling Club Golf outing, which has since been named the Larry Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament. He also sold more season wrestling tickets than anyone in the history of the program. A seat at the West Gym (home of UNI wrestling) has been named in Hamilton’s honor. Hamilton died on Jan. 25, 2014, leaving the Grand View wrestling tournament in Des Moines.
A banquet honoring all inductees and award winners will be held at Hilton Garden Inn in Cedar Falls on Saturday, May 30. For more information contact the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or dgmstaff@nwhof.org.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is a not-for-profit organization based out of Waterloo, Iowa. The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to preserve history, recognize excellence, and inspire future generations.
Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations