One of the University of Minnesota Gophers brightest stars was the late Richard "Dick" Mueller.

Dick Mueller was a three-time high school State Champion at Anoka High School.

His first year of wrestling, his freshman year, he was runner-up in the state tournament.

His high school coach, the legendary Garth Lappin saw something special in Dick. They were about the same size and worked out each day together.

Lappin told Mueller, "If you want it badly enough, you could be a National Champion". Dick took this to heart and began programming that into his mind.

After high school graduation Dick went on to wrestle at the University of Minnesota. There he became Wally Johnson's first NCAA national champion in 1953 at 123 pounds. 1953 was also the year he met the love of his life and wife of 53 years Ann.

After his NCAA title Mueller helped to bring Wally Johnson his first Big 10 Conference title in 1954. Then it was off to serve America in the Army. While in the Service, Dick was a member of the All-Army team, wrestling 22 months of his 2 year tour! During this time he qualified as the alternate for the USA Olympic team and was part of the Pan Am Team.

He returned to the U in 1956 and won two more Big 10 titles and helped the Gophers win the Big 10 Team Championship. In 1958 Mueller served as an assistant to Coach Johnson at Minnesota and the Gophers won the Big 10 championship.

After graduating from the U of M Dick taught and coached wrestling for 11 years, two year in Cambridge and nine years at Osseo High School. With wrestling still in his system, he put on the stripes and officiated for another 25 years.

In 1969 Dick went into the real estate business. He and nine other top agents formed one of the most successful agencies of their time, Real Estate 10. Later they sold Real  Estate 10 to Coldwell Banker where Dick remained as a key salesman and mentor to others. He started the Rotary Club in Brooklyn Park, became their first President and was their first Paul Harris Fellow. Dick also joined the Masons out of respect for his father in law who was also a Mason. He went on to the top ranks of the Shriners.

Mueller was inducted into the Minnesota Dave Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1990. He is also a member of the University of Minnesota "M Club" Hall of Fame.

His family and his faith are what brought him his greatest joy. Two children, five grandsons and three great grandchildren. Loving the Lord and sharing his faith, mentoring young men and showing others what is great about life (and he didn't miss much!).

His teammate, Pete Veldman, described Mueller "as a great friend, someone who was well-read, fun to be around and who would light up a room the minute he walked in. He was even a better person than he was a wrestler. And without question, he was the best Minnesota wrestler in the 50's! Dick had a great love for his wife Ann, his children Tim and Heidi, his grandchildren, great grandchildren and everyone who he knew - and that was a LOT of people!"