T.J. Jaworsky
December 13, 1970 - Present
Born in Temple, Texas, Jaworsky moved to Oklahoma during early childhood. He began wrestling at age five in Enid, moved to Edmond in sixth grade, and went on to become a four-time state champion at both the elementary and junior high levels. Wrestling for Edmond High School, Jaworsky captured four Oklahoma high school state championships, compiling a record of 110–2. He was also a two-time Junior National Champion and a three-time Asics Tiger First Team All-American.
Jaworsky initially wrestled one redshirt and one full season at Oklahoma State University before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he would leave an enduring mark on collegiate wrestling. Competing at 134 lbs. for the Tar Heels under the guidance of Coach Bill Lam, he posted a career record of 110–5, including 60 pins. He was a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference champion, a two-time ACC tournament most outstanding wrestler, and a three-time NCAA champion in 1993, 1994, and 1995. He also led the Tar Heels to a pair of top 10 finishes at the NCAA championships (6th in 1994 and 8th in 1995).
Jaworsky's senior season in 1995 was monumental. He had a perfect 38-0 record, was named both ACC wrestler of the year and NCAA most outstanding wrestler and became the first-ever recipient of the Dan Hodge Award – wrestling’s equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. That same year, he was named outstanding wrestler at the National Duals and received the Laurel Wreath Award from Governor Jim Hunt. The Laurel Wreath recognizes outstanding contributions to athletics in North Carolina. Thirty years later, Jaworsky still holds school records at UNC for career winning percentage (.957), wins by fall (50), and falls in a single season (24).
After his collegiate career, Jaworsky remained in Chapel Hill for eight years, serving as an assistant coach while training with the U.S. National Team. He then became the head wrestling coach at Davidson College, leading the program from 2002 to 2004. In 2003, Jaworsky was named one of the top 50 male athletes in ACC history as part of the conference’s 50th anniversary celebration, an honor awarded by the league’s 120-member blue ribbon committee.
Currently, Jaworsky lives in Ridgecrest, California, where he is the co-owner of Sydney Peak Stone Inc., a mining company and wholesaler of commercial stone products for the construction industry. He remains involved in the wrestling community, coaching at Burroughs High School in Ridgecrest and founding the JAWS Wrestling Academy in 2017. An avid outdoorsman, Jaworsky enjoys hunting, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, and spearfishing.
Awards:
Year
2025
|
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
|
Chapter/Region
North Carolina
|