John Fritz
John Fritz wrestled in high school for the Hurricanes of Bethlehem Liberty in the powerful Lehigh Valley. He then took his talents to Penn State and attained an outstanding collegiate career, featuring 2 third place finishes in the NCAA Championship at 126 lbs. in 1973 & 1974, followed by winning the Gold Medal in his senior year of 1975. He went on to be an Assistant Coach for Rich Lorenzo for a decade, then became the Head Coach of the Nittany Lions in 1993. In six seasons, he posted five top five NCAA finishes including a second in 1993, Penn State's highest finish in 39 years. At Penn State, he produced 4 national champions, 9 NCAA finalists, 21 All-Americans and 12 Big Ten champions. Fritz was named the 1993 NWCA National Coach of the Year, after leading Penn State to a school record 22-0-1 dual meet record, a No.1 national ranking and the national dual team title. He also earned 1998 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. John continues to work with the Commonwealth Campus athletic programs at Penn State, and still resides in Boalsburg.
Awards:
Year
2012
|
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
|
Chapter/Region
Pennsylvania
|
All American Awards:
Season
1975
|
School
Penn State
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
126
|
Place
1
|
Season
1974
|
School
Penn State
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
126
|
Place
3
|
Season
1973
|
School
Penn State
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
126
|
Place
3
|
College Season Records:
Season
1975
|
School
Penn State
|
Class
Senior
|
Bouts
24
|
Wins
20
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
2
|
Falls
3
|
Win PCT.
83.33
|
Place
1st
|
Season
1974
|
School
Penn State
|
Class
Junior
|
Bouts
25
|
Wins
22
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
1
|
Falls
1
|
Win PCT.
88
|
Place
3rd
|
Season
1973
|
School
Penn State
|
Class
Sophomore
|
Bouts
20
|
Wins
19
|
Losses
1
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
0
|
Win PCT.
95
|
Place
3rd
|
Season
1972
|
School
Penn State
|
Class
Freshman
|
Bouts
16
|
Wins
10
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
1
|
Falls
0
|
Win PCT.
62.5
|
Place
DNP
|
Season
Career
|
Bouts
85
|
Wins
71
|
Losses
10
|
Ties
4
|
Falls
4
|
Win PCT.
83.53
|
All Coaching Dual Records:
Season
1998
|
School
Penn State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
21
|
Wins
18
|
Losses
3
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
85.71
|
Season
1997
|
School
Penn State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
20
|
Wins
16
|
Losses
4
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
80
|
Season
1996
|
School
Penn State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
20
|
Wins
11
|
Losses
8
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
55
|
Season
1995
|
School
Penn State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
17
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
12
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
29.41
|
Season
1994
|
School
Penn State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
21
|
Wins
15
|
Losses
6
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
71.43
|
Season
1993
|
School
Penn State
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
23
|
Wins
22
|
Losses
0
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
95.65
|
Season
1980
|
School
Franklin & Marshall
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
15
|
Losses
3
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
83.33
|
Season
1979
|
School
Franklin & Marshall
|
Division
Division I
|
Duals
17
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
10
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
41.18
|
Season
Career
|
Duals
157
|
Wins
109
|
Losses
46
|
Ties
2
|
Win PCT.
69.43
|