Perhaps no wrestler in American history was as fierce or as competitive as Sammie Henson. He took that ferocity of mind and spirit to become one of the most decorated athletes to step onto a wrestling mat.

A native of St. Louis, Mo., Henson’s competitive career is marked by a series of firsts. In 1986, he became the first wrestler from Missouri to place at Junior Nationals. In 1987, he became the first Missouri native to win Junior Nationals.

Henson was diverse in his abilities as well. He competed in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, finding success in both styles. He reached the Greco finals at Junior Nationals three times, winning twice and making the 1988 Junior World team. He was also a two-time place winner in freestyle.
Competing for Francis Howell High School, Henson compiled a 108-5 record and was a three-time state wrestling champion, winning titles in 1987 at 98 pounds, 1988 at 103 pounds, and 1989 at 119 pounds.

After high school, several major colleges recruited him, but he chose to compete for the University of Missouri. The Tiger superstar had a strong freshman campaign, compiling a 40-8 season record and placing fifth at 118 pounds at the 1991 NCAA tournament.

Henson lost a year of eligibility when he transferred to Clemson University, but he made up for it by recording perfect seasons as a junior and as a senior. Henson won his final 71 matches, including 118-pound NCAA championships in 1993 and 1994. He became the first native of Missouri to win an NCAA wrestling title.

The best was yet to come. He posted one of the longest and most distinguished wrestling careers in American history. The apex came in 1998 when Henson, also known as “The Bull,” won the World Championships at 119 pounds in Iran. Two years later, he won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Proving that age is not a factor, Henson qualified for the 2005 World Championships team at the age of 34. Then, in 2006, he made another World team at the age of 35, winning a bronze medal at 121 pounds.
Henson served as an assistant coach at seven different schools before being named the head wrestling coach at West Virginia in 2014.

In recognition of groundbreaking achievements at home and abroad, Sammie Henson is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.