From national champion to molder of champions, William J. Weick has proven himself as a U.S. wrestling treasure.

Weick won an NCAA wrestling championship in 1952 for Iowa State Teachers College, now the University of Northern Iowa. The next two years, he served his country in the U.S. Army, then returned to Iowa Teachers to reclaim his second NCAA title. In the international styles of wrestling, he was national runner-up three times and earned a spot on the very first U.S. World Greco-Roman team. In 1954, he defeated the World Greco-Roman champion from 1952. After placing seven times in the National Open Championships in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, he turned his focus to coaching, where he truly made his mark.

He started his legendary coaching career at Maquoketa High School in Iowa, before returning to his home state of Illinois to coach at Tilden Tech, his alma mater, Mount Carmel and Brother Rice High Schools. The teams at Mount Carmel achieved national acclaim, winning the state dual meet title three years running and finishing second twice. He had 21 individual state champions during his tenure, the most of any Illinois school during his time there, and several of his wrestlers achieved great success on the collegiate level. His overall coaching record: a phenomenal 749-112-2. For his efforts, he has been recognized as National Coach of the Year by the National Federation of High School Associations.

For many years, Weick was a member of the volunteer coaching staff for U.S. teams competing in international events and earned the respect of both the top athletes in the country and other coaches. His unique ability as a teacher, honed through his education, combined with his enthusiasm, winning spirit and tough-minded, yet caring attitude, helped even the most elite wrestlers compete at their highest levels.

He was on the Olympic coaching staff for freestyle in 1972, 1980, 1984 and 1988 and worked with the Greco-Roman team in 1976. He was head coach of the 1975 Pan American Games team that won the team title, and also coached U.S. teams at the 1975 World Cup, as well as three Junior World Championships and the 1981 World University Games.

Weick has traveled the world for wrestling, but is just as appreciated in his hometown where he was honored as Chicagoan of the Year in 1995.

For teaching young men to be champions in wrestling and in life, William J. Weick is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.