Born and raised in Southern Minnesota, Gary Franke’s wrestling career is filled with successes.

A two-time Minnesota state place-winner at Gaylord High School, Franke enrolled at Mankato State College, where he was a four-year letterwinner. As team captain, Franke earned Mankato's most valuable wrestler award after setting the school record for consecutive dual meet victories with 32. Franke graduated in 1971 with a 42-17-career record, and a bachelor's degree in health and physical education.

Fallowing graduation from Mankato, Franke served in the military as an Army Chaplain and assistant coach and recruiter for the United States Military Academy at West Point wrestling team from 1971-73. During this time, he was a member of the All-Army wrestling team, a place-winner at the 1972 AAU National Tournament, and earned a bronze medal in the 1972 World Military Games in Ankara, Turkey.

Since 1973, Franke has served as the head wrestling coach and associate professor of physical education at Washington and Lee University. During his 38 years, he has compiled nearly 200 career victories and is the program's all-time wins leader. His teams have won three conference championships and have finished with a .500 or better record 19 times. Gary has coached 24 National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-Americans, as well as one NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winner, and the program's only NCAA All-American. Franke has also been named the Conference Coach of the Year on three occasions.

Active in the wrestling community, Franke served on the NWCA executive committee from 1977-80, and as a wrestling official for both the Virginia High School League (1973-97) and the NCAA (1973-93). Franke was also a coordinator for the 1976 Olympic Wrestling Team in Montreal, and currently serves on the NCAA Division II wrestling committee.

Franke and his wife Linda make their home in Lexington, Virginia. The couple has a daughter, Kara and a son, Ryan.