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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