The Oregon Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted seven members in its Class of 2025.

Ron Alley, Sally Boussios, Montral Brazile, Klel Carson, Leslie Combs, Doran Simmons and Jim Vandehey are all recipients of the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award.

Ron Alley is celebrated as a coach whose enthusiasm, optimism, and dedication inspired success wherever he led. A standout wrestler at Banks High School and graduate of Portland State University, Alley returned to his alma mater to begin a storied coaching career in 1989.

Serving as head coach at Banks High School from 1990 through 2004, he guided 52 state place winners and seven state champions. Under his leadership, Banks achieved eight top-four state finishes and captured six consecutive district titles, along with a team championship at the prestigious Oregon Wrestling Classic.

After earning his administrative degree in education, Alley continued to contribute to the sport as Cowapa League district tournament director from 2011 to 2013. When Astoria High School faced the loss of its wrestling program due to a coaching vacancy, Alley stepped in, revitalized the team, and was honored as Cowapa Coach of the Year — an accolade he had received multiple times at Banks.

Even as his career advanced, including serving as superintendent of schools in Scappoose, Alley remained deeply connected to wrestling, staying active in the community’s youth programs. After leaving the education field in 2019, he volunteered as head coach of Banks Middle School, where his leadership helped the program grow from an average of 15–20 wrestlers to 44 in his final season.

Now retired in Crooked River Ranch, Oregon, with his wife, Britney, Ron Alley’s lifelong devotion to wrestling continues to resonate through the athletes, programs, and communities he inspired.

Sally Boussios embodies excellence in the organization and management of wrestling tournaments. For more than two decades, she has been the guiding force and heartbeat behind events at every level of Oregon wrestling — from 2A through 6A competitions, to the prestigious Reser’s Tournament of Champions, and the OSAA State Championships.

Her journey began in 2001 at Hillsboro’s Century High School, where she volunteered to coordinate travel and fundraising for the Jaguar wrestling teams, including organizing two tournaments in Hawaii. She also trained and coordinated the school’s team of statisticians.

In 2005, Boussios embraced innovation as one of Oregon’s early adopters of Trackwrestling, launching her career as a tournament director. When Coach Eric Givens moved to Liberty High School in 2008, she brought her expertise and energy to both programs for one season before devoting her efforts exclusively to Liberty through 2024.

By 2010, she had elevated the Liberty Invitational into one of the state’s premier events — managing a field of 24 boys’ teams and 45 girls’ teams, overseeing an extraordinary 1,750 matches in a single day. Her precision, leadership, and commitment set new standards for tournament operations.

Boussios has directed multiple conference championships and served as tournament director for the 2022 and 2023 OSAA 6A State Championships. Since 2008, she has also played a vital role in managing the Reser’s Tournament of Champions, a cornerstone event in Oregon wrestling.

Proudly reflecting on her career, she notes her greatest satisfaction comes from being “part of the explosive growth of the sport for girls.” Through her tireless work, organization, and vision, Sally Boussios has shaped the competitive experience for thousands of athletes and strengthened the foundation of wrestling across Oregon.

Montral Brazile’s life and career are deeply connected to the Jefferson High School Democrats of Portland. A standout wrestler for Jefferson, he dedicated his entire coaching career to the program’s success. He began as a volunteer coach in 1995, served as an assistant coach from 1996 through 2004, and was named head coach in 2004, a role he held for more than two decades. Under his leadership, Jefferson received the 2008 OSAA Team Sportsmanship Award.

Brazile has coached 26 state tournament place winners, including seven state champions, and was named Portland Interscholastic League Coach of the Year six times. Beyond high school wrestling, in 2003 he became involved with the Northwest Disciples Youth Wrestling program, a nonprofit founded in 2000 by Hall of Fame member Travis West to support disadvantaged and at-risk youth in Portland’s inner city. Over 15 years, Brazile organized and coached more than 400 young wrestlers, shaping the next generation of athletes and community leaders.

Montral Brazile and his wife, Michelle, reside in Portland, where his legacy continues to influence wrestling and the broader community.

Klel Carson exemplifies the saying, “bloom where you are planted.” A standout wrestler at La Grande High School, he remained close to home to begin his coaching journey under Hall of Fame coach Verl Miller in 1993 while attending Eastern Oregon State College. Following graduation, Carson coached in Roseburg, established the wrestling program at Oakland High School, and later returned to La Grande, where he built a legacy of sustained excellence.

Throughout his career, Carson’s teams have achieved remarkable success, winning four state championships, three Oregon Classic dual titles, and earning 13 OSAA trophies. From 2019 through 2024, his teams went undefeated in dual meets against schools of all classifications and from multiple states. He has coached 33 individual state champions, 167 state placers, and 126 district champions. His teams have competed in Hawaii, and he has led Oregon’s Cultural Exchange teams internationally four times—in Japan (2012) and in Germany and surrounding countries (2019, 2021, 2023).

Carson has received numerous honors for his leadership, including two selections as Oregon’s 4A Coach of the Year, and in 2023 he was named Oregon Coach of the Year, Regional Coach of the Year, and National Coach of the Year. While awards and championships are noteworthy, he takes greatest pride in the meaningful relationships he has built with his athletes and coaching staff. The La Grande program emphasizes developing champions not only on the mat but also in life, with a focus on integrity, family, and community.

Carson credits the ongoing support of his wife, Amy, and their children—Marissa, Alaina, Braden, and Kai—for sustaining his career and commitment to wrestling.

Les Combs dedicated his life to the sport of wrestling, extending his influence and leadership far beyond the borders of Oregon. Over a remarkable 38-year coaching career, he guided generations of athletes, amassing 340 career dual meet victories and leaving an enduring legacy of excellence and mentorship.

A Fargo All-American as a high school athlete and collegiate wrestler at Southern Oregon University, Combs began his coaching journey in 1983 as an assistant at West Albany High School. He went on to lead Clackamas High School for 11 years and concluded his head coaching career at Mountain View High School in Bend, where he served from 1996 through 2023. His peers recognized his excellence with three Regional Coach of the Year honors.

Among his proudest accomplishments was mentoring future leaders in the sport — Luke Larwin, Jason Wullbrandt, Nathan Stanley, Larry Leckner, and Forest Markham — each of whom went on to become head coaches themselves.

Beyond the mat, Combs was a tireless advocate for wrestling in Oregon and across the nation. He served as the Oregon School Activities Association’s wrestling liaison for 15 years, the Coaches Director of the Oregon Wrestling Association for 21 years, and treasurer of the state’s Cultural Exchange program for four years.

On the national stage, Combs coached Oregon’s Fargo national tournament team 12 times between 1990 and 2014 and led the state’s National Duals teams in Michigan and Oklahoma. His leadership extended further through service as Oregon’s representative to the National Wrestling Coaches Association for 15 years, regional representative to the NWCA board for 10 years, and member of the national governing board from 1994 to 2022.

Through dedication, integrity, and vision, Les Combs strengthened the foundation of wrestling in Oregon and contributed meaningfully to the sport’s national growth and tradition.

Doran Simmons developed a passion for wrestling during his four years competing at the high school level, earning a state placing for the Spartans in 1979. His connection to the sport was shaped by his Hall of Fame coach, Gordon Hoffman, whom Simmons describes as his mentor, referee guide, and friend. “I respect and admire all officials who strive to be their best for the young people on the mat,” he says.

Simmons began his professional involvement in wrestling with a year coaching at Hillsboro Middle School, followed by two years as an assistant coach at Glencoe High School. He then transitioned to officiating, becoming a respected referee across Oregon. He has officiated every Reser’s Tournament of Champions meet—the state’s premier invitational—and has served as head official for the last five years. His career also includes officiating at the Oregon Classic, the Rose City Tournament, Northwest Duals, and 21 Oregon State Championship tournaments.

Recognized for his excellence, Simmons was named 6A Classification Official of the Year in 2022 and received the same honor from the Oregon Athletics Officials Association in 2024. Dedicated to the future of the sport, he has trained new officials for the Portland, Metro, and Mid-Valley associations. Simmons and his wife, Kim, reside in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Jim Vandehey’s wrestling career is a testament to perseverance and dedication. A district champion at McMinnville High School, he arrived at Oregon State University without a state placing, yet by the end of his collegiate career he became a two-time All-American, finishing fourth in 1969 and fifth in 1970 at the NCAA tournament. He was later inducted into the Oregon State Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Vandehey’s education was interrupted by service in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, where he attained the rank of captain and was awarded the Bronze Star. He also continued wrestling while in the military.

After returning from service, he served as head coach at Stayton High School for two seasons before launching a contracting business in 1975. In 1997, he returned to education and coaching as an assistant at Lebanon High School. The following year he became head coach, inheriting a mat club program with just 10 wrestlers and a high school team of 15. Over 11 years, he expanded the program to 80 in the mat club, 50 in middle school, and 50 at the high school level, while coaching eight state placers, including a state champion.

Rather than retiring, Vandehey stepped aside to serve as assistant coach to Michael Cox, a role he has held for 18 years. His athletic director notes, “Jim steadfastly refuses to accept any stipend for his services, opting instead to allocate those funds towards the betterment of the program.”

Special presenter at the 2025 Awards included in the photo is Larry Owings, Lifetime Service Award winner (Class of 2019) for the Oregon Chapter of NWHOF.