One of Minnesota's pioneers in wrestling was Carleton College coach Eiler Henrickson, a premier amateur wrestler, wrestling official and outstanding educator for over 50years. Raised in Deerwood, Minnesota, Henrickson attended Crosby-Ironton High School where he participated in football, basketball, and track. He graduated in 1938. Upon graduation he played for the Deerwood Blazers in the Independent Basketball League. He attended Carleton College in Northfield in 1939, graduating in 1943. At Carleton he participated in football, wrestling and track. He even occasionally ran cross country during halftime of the football games. In track Henrickson really excelled. He ran the half-mile, one mile, two mile and quarter mile. He set Carleton College records in both the indoor and outdoor one mile and outdoor two mile races. As a wrestler, Henrickson went undefeated in three years of competition, defeating opponents from the University of Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Cornell College, a powerhouse at that time. He wrestled the Northwest AAU National Tournament in New York City, losing by one point to the eventual champion. He was Carleton's College Wrestling's coveted Bruggeman Memorial award for outstanding sportsmanship, loyalty, leadership and contributions to wrestling. In 1958 Henrickson was offered the position of head football coach and athletic director but declined to pursue his love of Geology, serving as a professor for the next 41 years. He taught an additional 10 years at Colorado College. Henrickson officiated high school and college wrestling for 30 years and officiated at the Minnesota State High School tournament for 18 years. He also officiated several Big 10 and college national tournaments. Eiler was elected as a charter member of the Carlton College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976. He also received the 25 year service award from the NWCA in appreciation for his outstanding contributions to wrestling. He is a member of the Dave Bartelma Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame and Crosby-Ironton Athletic Hall of Fame. He continued to wrestle and participate with others athletes until age 72. As a World renowned economic geologist, Henrickson has done research in Turkey, Greece, Egypt, Alaska, Canada and numerous other countries and territories. He published scientific papers in books and journals, and he toured on the lecture circuit to 23 universities in 15 countries. He is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, American Men of Science, Who's Who in Science and Technology and other publications. This is a gentleman of great magnitude, who's passion for athletics led him to our great sport of wrestling. He participated to the highest level as a competitor, a coach and an official. Minnesota Wrestling considered some of the best in the country due to the efforts of men like Eiler Henrickson.