As a true renaissance man of wrestling in the United States – competitor, coach, teacher, writer, inventor and businessman – Carl Adams established a legendary series of “first, best and only” that led to his selection by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a 2019 Distinguished Member.

A two-time NCAA Division I national champion and three-time national placer for Iowa State University, he was the first freshman to earn All-America honors in 1969, the first year that true freshmen were allowed to compete in the NCAA Championships. He was the only freshman to place, finishing fifth at 152 pounds. He helped the Cyclones win the NCAA team title in 1969, 1970 and 1972 while finishing second in 1971 – the greatest four-year run in school history. He was a three-time undefeated Midlands Champion and was a national freestyle champion in 1973 and 1975.

He won a silver medal at the Pan American Games in 1975 and finished fifth at the World Championships the same year. National Mat News named him "Middleweight of the Decade," and during his post college freestyle career he had a perfect 5-0 record against Wade Schalles, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1991. Adams won a New York state high school championship in 1968, the first for Brentwood High School.

He was an assistant coach at Iowa State from 1973-78 and helped 40 Cyclones earn All-America honors, including six national champions. The Cyclones finished in the Top Four every year, including NCAA team titles in 1973 and 1977. At 27, he became head coach at the University of Rhode Island and was named Rookie College Coach of the Year by Amateur Wrestling News after leading Rhode Island to the New England Wrestling Conference title in 1979. He became head coach at Boston University in 1980 and led the Terriers to 10 NEWC team titles, including five in a row from 1981-85 and 1988-92. His wrestlers won 87 individual conference titles and qualified for the NCAA tournament 99 times, including four All-America finishes.

Adams is a noted inventor of wrestling training aids and his unique equipment can be found in wrestling rooms all over the world. He is the author of several books and his instructional wrestling videos are some of the most popular ever. He developed a system of wrestling camps that ran for 34 consecutive years and had many unique features, including S.A.T. prep classes.