Don Nichols was born and raised in Cresco, Iowa. He became interested in wrestling, along with his brother Harold, at an early age. Dave Bartelma and Harry Schroeder were the Nichols brothers’ coaches.

He was a member of state high school championship teams and played an important role in their success. The unique thing about his high school years was that he wrestled in weight classes 85 pounds through 155 pounds. He was district and state champion in the 85-pound class in 1933 and district and state champion at 135 pounds in 1935.

Nichols continued his wrestling career at the University of Michigan and was a Big Ten Conference champion in 1938 and 1940 while finishing runner-up in 1939. He concluded his career by winning the NCAA championship and being named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament in 1940.

His only dual meet loss in four years of high school came in his first match, and he only had three dual meet losses in seven years of high school and college competition.

Nichols is a retired airline pilot who was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1990.