Steve Lawinger was a Wisconsin state wrestling champion as a senior with a 31-1 record and had a career record of 48-6 for Mineral Point High School.

He wrestled at the University of Wisconsin, alongside his brother Rich and later his cousin Paul Lawinger. Steve was an NCAA All-American for the Badgers, finishing sixth at the 1977 NCAA Division I Championships, and a three-time place-winner at the Big Ten Conference tournament.

Lawinger was a gold medalist in freestyle at 165 pounds at the 1974 Junior Olympics.

He was inducted into the Mineral Point Wrestling Allen E. Bauman Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999.