Hugo Otopalik

January 01, 1890 - July 11, 1953

Hugo Otopalik was perhaps the first great collegiate wrestler to become a great wrestling coach. He was the 175-pound Western Conference champion for Nebraska, under Dr. Raymond G. Clapp, in 1916 and 1917, and also starred in the backfield of the Cornhuskers' first football powers.

Otopalik became director of athletics at Kearney State in Nebraska in 1918 and joined the staff of Iowa State in 1920.

He had not planned to become a coach, but when Charles Mayser resigned in 1923, Otopalik agreed to "handle" the wrestling team until a replacement could be found. He continued to "handle" the team for 29 years, developing many individual national champions.

His 1933 Cyclones were recognized as co-champions of the NCAA tournament with Oklahoma State. Over the years, his teams compiled a dual meet record of 160 victories, 66 losses and five ties, and won seven team championships in the Big Eight Conference.

In 1932, Otopalik coached the United States Olympic team, which won three gold medals and was acclaimed as the championship team. Four years earlier, he had served as host to the first National Collegiate tournament, organized by his former coach, Dr. Clapp.

Otopalik was the first secretary of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, from 1932 to '36, and played an active role in National AAU wrestling throughout the years. He was vice president of the International Wrestling Federation in 1952.

He held the rank of first sergeant during World War I and served with the Red Cross in the European theater during World War II.

As a coach of great stature through long years of service to the sport of wrestling, Hugo M. Otopalik is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Awards:

Year
2012
Award
Glen Brand Inductee
Chapter/Region
National
Year
1976
Award
Distinguished Member
Chapter/Region
National

All Coaching Dual Records:

Season
1953
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
9
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
90
Season
1952
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
6
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
75
Season
1951
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
5
Losses
5
Ties
0
Win PCT.
50
Season
1950
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
4
Losses
6
Ties
0
Win PCT.
40
Season
1949
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
2
Losses
6
Ties
1
Win PCT.
22.22
Season
1948
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
11
Wins
5
Losses
5
Ties
1
Win PCT.
45.45
Season
1947
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
5
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
62.5
Season
1946
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
5
Wins
3
Losses
1
Ties
1
Win PCT.
60
Season
1943
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
4
Wins
1
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
25
Season
1942
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
3
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
50
Season
1941
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
7
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
70
Season
1940
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
4
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
50
Season
1939
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
3
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
50
Season
1938
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
8
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1937
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
6
Losses
2
Ties
1
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1936
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
4
Losses
2
Ties
2
Win PCT.
50
Season
1935
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
4
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
57.14
Season
1934
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
8
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
80
Season
1933
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
6
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
85.71
Season
1932
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
7
Wins
6
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
85.71
Season
1931
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
10
Wins
9
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
90
Season
1930
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
6
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1929
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
8
Wins
7
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
87.5
Season
1928
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
7
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
77.78
Season
1927
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
8
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
88.89
Season
1926
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
8
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
88.89
Season
1925
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
6
Wins
6
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1924
School
Iowa State
Division
Duals
9
Wins
9
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
Career
Duals
230
Wins
159
Losses
65
Ties
6
Win PCT.
69.13

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