Russ Hellickson
May 29, 1948 - Present
One of wrestling's dominant figures for two decades, Russ Hellickson ruled the nation's light heavyweights through the 1970s and continued to shine as a coach and contributor to the sport.
A three-sport high school star, and a consistent winner at the University of Wisconsin, he burst into national and international prominence after graduation in 1970. He won 12 national Freestyle championships and one Greco-Roman, captured silver and bronze medals and a fourth place in the Worlds, won the Tbilisi International and the World Cup, and was the first wrestler to win three gold medals in the Pan Am Games.
Thwarted by injury in 1972, he won the silver medal in the 1976 Olympic Games, battling defending champion Ivan Yarygin of the Soviet Union in a 19-13 spellbinder. Russ was captain of the 1980 Olympic Freestyle team, stalled by the boycott.
During those 12 years, he was assistant coach at Wisconsin, where he became head coach in 1982. After four successful seasons, he moved to Ohio State. In all, he has produced more than 150 victories, five NCAA champions and two dozen All-Americans.
Russ and his wife, Nancy, founded The Crossface, Wisconsin's state wrestling newspaper, and they were honored together nationally as writers of the year in 1974 and as state editors of the year in 1976. Hellickson served on USA Wrestling's board of directors, as president of the independent clubs, as Freestyle sport chairman and as a member of the national coaching staff. He was Junior World coach twice.
His coach's talk show and production of instructional and motivational videos led to a new career as a television commentator. He was the voice of wrestling for ABC at the 1984 Olympics, for TBS at the '86 and '90 Goodwill Games, and for NBC at the 1988, '92 and '96 Olympics.
One of wrestling's most versatile and productive figures, Russell Owen Hellickson is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Awards:
Year
1989
|
Award
Distinguished Member
|
Chapter/Region
National
|
Year
1974
|
Award
Bob Dellinger Media Award
|
Chapter/Region
National
|
All Coaching Dual Records:
Season
2006
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
13
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
27.78
|
Season
2005
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
19
|
Wins
8
|
Losses
11
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
42.11
|
Season
2004
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
19
|
Wins
8
|
Losses
11
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
42.11
|
Season
2003
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
19
|
Wins
12
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
63.16
|
Season
2002
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
24
|
Wins
20
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
83.33
|
Season
2001
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
21
|
Wins
15
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
71.43
|
Season
2000
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
9
|
Losses
9
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
50
|
Season
1999
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
21
|
Wins
10
|
Losses
10
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
47.62
|
Season
1998
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
24
|
Wins
10
|
Losses
13
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
41.67
|
Season
1997
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
22
|
Wins
10
|
Losses
12
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
45.45
|
Season
1996
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
23
|
Wins
13
|
Losses
9
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
56.52
|
Season
1995
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
26
|
Wins
16
|
Losses
10
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
61.54
|
Season
1994
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
27
|
Wins
15
|
Losses
11
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
55.56
|
Season
1993
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
23
|
Wins
17
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
73.91
|
Season
1992
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
24
|
Wins
20
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
83.33
|
Season
1991
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
21
|
Wins
17
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
80.95
|
Season
1990
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
25
|
Wins
20
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
80
|
Season
1989
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
30
|
Wins
18
|
Losses
10
|
Ties
2
|
Win PCT.
60
|
Season
1988
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
22
|
Wins
16
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
72.73
|
Season
1987
|
School
Ohio State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
22
|
Wins
13
|
Losses
9
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
59.09
|
Season
1986
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
25
|
Wins
19
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
76
|
Season
1985
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
25
|
Wins
21
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
84
|
Season
1984
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
28
|
Wins
22
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
78.57
|
Season
1983
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
14
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
7
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
50
|
Season
1982
|
School
Wisconsin
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
14
|
Wins
8
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
57.14
|
Season
Career
|
Duals
554
|
Wins
349
|
Losses
197
|
Ties
8
|
Win PCT.
63
|
Our Mission: To honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations