William Koll

August 12, 1923 - September 27, 2003

How good was Bill Koll as a collegiate wrestler? Take a look at the record--he wrestled 3 1/2 years and won every match in devastating style. Along the way, he earned three consecutive National Collegiate championships and three National AAU titles.

In the midst of his first season, he left college to serve three years with the combat engineers in World War II, participating in the Normandy landing and earning the Bronze Star. 

He returned to become a ringleader of the great Northern Iowa teams developed by coach Dave McCuskey in the late 1940s.

In 1946, at the first post-war NCAA tournament, he won the award for the most falls. A year later, he was voted outstanding wrestler of the collegiate championships. When he was elected outstanding wrestler again in 1948, he became the first contestant ever to win the NCAA's most coveted individual trophy a second time.

Also in 1948, he won the U.S. Olympic trials at 147.5 pounds and placed fifth in the unfamiliar international style at the London Games.

After graduation, Koll turned his masterful skills to coaching, where he established another outstanding career. Starting at the University of Chicago, then moving to Cornell College, he returned to the University of Northern Iowa to succeed Coach McCuskey.

During his 11 years at UNI, his Panthers won 71 dual meets. He was instrumental in inaugurating the NCAA's College Division national tournament and served as host and tournament director of the first two events in 1963 and '64.

He then succeeded Charlie Speidel at Penn State University, where his teams always ranked high in the Eastern and national standings, with more than 100 dual meet victories.

As one of the truly great wrestlers of the modern era, and a coach of national stature, Dr. William H. Koll is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Awards:

Year
2003
Award
Glen Brand Inductee
Chapter/Region
National
Year
1977
Award
Distinguished Member
Chapter/Region
National

All American Awards:

Season
1948
School
Northern Iowa
Tournament
Division I
Weight
147
Place
1
Season
1947
School
Northern Iowa
Tournament
Division I
Weight
145
Place
1
Season
1946
School
Northern Iowa
Tournament
Division I
Weight
145
Place
1

College Season Records:

Season
1948
School
Northern Iowa
Class
Senior
Bouts
13
Wins
13
Losses
0
Ties
0
Falls
11
Win PCT.
100
Place
1st
Season
1947
School
Northern Iowa
Class
Junior
Bouts
11
Wins
11
Losses
0
Ties
0
Falls
3
Win PCT.
100
Place
1st
Season
1946
School
Northern Iowa
Class
Sophomore
Bouts
9
Wins
9
Losses
0
Ties
0
Falls
1
Win PCT.
100
Place
1st
Season
1943
School
Northern Iowa
Class
Freshman
Bouts
3
Wins
3
Losses
0
Ties
0
Falls
0
Win PCT.
100
Place
DNW
Season
Career
Bouts
36
Wins
36
Losses
0
Ties
0
Falls
15
Win PCT.
100

All Coaching Dual Records:

Season
1978
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
15
Wins
13
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
86.67
Season
1977
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
11
Wins
10
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
90.91
Season
1976
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
12
Wins
10
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
83.33
Season
1975
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
12
Wins
7
Losses
4
Ties
1
Win PCT.
58.33
Season
1974
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
11
Wins
10
Losses
0
Ties
1
Win PCT.
90.91
Season
1973
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
12
Wins
11
Losses
1
Ties
0
Win PCT.
91.67
Season
1972
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
12
Wins
12
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1971
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
11
Wins
10
Losses
0
Ties
1
Win PCT.
90.91
Season
1970
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
11
Wins
11
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1969
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
10
Wins
5
Losses
2
Ties
3
Win PCT.
50
Season
1968
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
10
Wins
7
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
70
Season
1967
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
9
Wins
8
Losses
0
Ties
1
Win PCT.
88.89
Season
1966
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
9
Wins
7
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
77.78
Season
1965
School
Penn State
Division
Division I
Duals
11
Wins
6
Losses
4
Ties
1
Win PCT.
54.55
Season
1964
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Division II
Duals
13
Wins
6
Losses
7
Ties
0
Win PCT.
46.15
Season
1963
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Division II
Duals
13
Wins
5
Losses
7
Ties
1
Win PCT.
38.46
Season
1962
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
14
Wins
5
Losses
9
Ties
0
Win PCT.
35.71
Season
1961
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
12
Wins
10
Losses
2
Ties
0
Win PCT.
83.33
Season
1960
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
11
Wins
6
Losses
3
Ties
2
Win PCT.
54.55
Season
1959
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
12
Wins
8
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1957
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
9
Wins
6
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
66.67
Season
1956
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
10
Wins
10
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
100
Season
1955
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
11
Wins
8
Losses
1
Ties
2
Win PCT.
72.73
Season
1954
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
7
Wins
3
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
42.86
Season
1953
School
Northern Iowa
Division
Duals
7
Wins
4
Losses
2
Ties
1
Win PCT.
57.14
Season
1952
School
Cornell Iowa
Division
Duals
8
Wins
5
Losses
3
Ties
0
Win PCT.
62.5
Season
1951
School
Chicago University
Division
Duals
6
Wins
1
Losses
5
Ties
0
Win PCT.
16.67
Season
1950
School
Chicago University
Division
Duals
7
Wins
3
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
42.86
Season
1949
School
Chicago University
Division
Duals
5
Wins
1
Losses
4
Ties
0
Win PCT.
20
Season
Career
Duals
301
Wins
208
Losses
79
Ties
14
Win PCT.
69.1

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