Brent Metcalf (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)WATERLOO, Iowa -- Three individual NCAA champions, two state championship high school coaches, and a record setting high school wrestling team will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on Friday, June 7, 2019.
Located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, the Glen Brand Hall of Fame was established in 2002 to honor those individuals who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the State of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa school.
The Class of 2019 is Bob Kenny, Dave Martin, Steve Mocco, Brent Metcalf, Gene Doyle and the 2008 Waverly Shell-Rock wrestling team.
Blake Williams will be presented with the Bob Siddens Iowa High School Coaching Excellence Award and Marti and Jerry Roling will receive the Russ Smith Community Impact Award.
A banquet honoring all inductees and award winners will be held at Prairie Links Golf & Event Center in Waverly on Friday, June 7. For more information contact the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or dgmstaff@nwhof.org.
Bob Kenny led Emmetsburg/Armstrong/Ringsted to eight state team wrestling championships -- six traditional (2000-03, 2005-06) and two dual (2002-03) -- during nine seasons as head coach from 1998-2007. Kenny coached at Holbrook (Arizona), Maquoketa Valley, Osage and Estherville before coaching at Emmetsburg. Kenny's teams combined for a 289-123-1 dual meet record with 88 state qualifiers and 56 state place winners, including 12 state championships and 24 finalists. He wrestled in high school for Osage and in college for Buena Vista.
Dave Martin was an NCAA champion, two-time NCAA championship finalist, and three-time runner-up at the Big 12 championships for Iowa State. Martin placed second at the NCAA championships in 1969 and first in 1970, both at 158 pounds. The Cyclones placed first as a team each of Martin's final two seasons at Iowa State. Led by his father, Leon "Champ" Martin, 2009 inductee into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, Dave won individual state wrestling championships in 1965 and 1966 at Algona High School in Algona, Iowa.
Brent Metcalf was a two-time NCAA champion, three-time NCAA championship finalist, and a two-time Big 10 champion for the University of Iowa at 149 pounds with a career college record of 108-3. He placed first at the NCAA championships as a sophomore in 2008, second in 2009, and first in 2010. Metcalf was a member of U.S. freestyle World championship teams in 2010, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and was a two-time freestyle national champion. He was a four-time undefeated state wrestling champion (228-0) for Davison High School in Michigan, from 2002-05, and is currently an assistant wrestling coach at Iowa State.
Steve Mocco was an NCAA champion and two-time NCAA championship finalist for the University of Iowa at heavyweight. Mocco was a runner-up at the NCAA tournament as a true freshman in 2002 and was an NCAA champion the following year in 2003. After redshirting in 2004, he transferred to Oklahoma State where he picked up another NCAA title in 2005 and another appearance in the finals in 2006. In all, Mocco reached the finals of the NCAA championships four times, winning twice. He was also a Big Ten champion and a two-time Big 12 champion. The former Hawkeye star was a member of the 2008 Olympic team at 120 kg. In high school, Mocco won four national prep titles -- two for St. Benedicts Prep and two for Blair Academy.
Gene Doyle, who died in 2018, led Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to three traditional state team wrestling championships (1993, 97-98) and one state dual team title (1993) during 15 seasons as head coach from 1985-2000. His overall high school record was 251-52, including 10 individual state championships, 43 state place winners, and six top five finishes. Although he never wrestled competitively, Keith Young and Bill Dotson, both members of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, mentored Doyle prior to his tenure as Cedar Falls head wrestling coach.
The 2008 Waverly-Shell Rock High School wrestling team will be the sixth team inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa and the first high school team inducted. The Go-Hawks won the 3A Iowa High School State championship with a record-setting performance. Waverly-Shell Rock set the all-time point record at the Iowa High School State Wrestling Tournament with 225 points. Thirteen of the 14 members of the team qualified for state, including four state champions. It was the second of five traditional state team championships during Rick Caldwell's tenure as head wrestling coach.
The starting line-up for their 2008 state championship team was Jordan Rinken (fourth at 103), Cody Caldwell (fourth at 112), Jake Ballweg (first at 119), Matthew Kittleson (third at 125), A.C. Campbell (fourth at 130), Mark Ballweg (first at 135), Cory Nolte (SQ at 140), Justin Denner (145), Kyle Cox (third at 152), Reed Kahler (fourth at 160), Lee Averhoff (third at 171), Dylan Wrage (first at 189), Cody Krumweide (sixth at 215), Eric Thompson (first at HWT).
Assistant coaches were Mike Schwab, Eric Whitcome, Williams Soesbe, Josh Meier, and Alain Djoumessi.
Blake Williams will receive the Bob Siddens High School Coaching Excellence Award. Williams was an assistant coach at Center Point-Urbana before earning his first head coaching position at Solon High School. Following four years at Solon, which included taking the Spartans to their first state dual appearance, Williams began his coaching career at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School in 2003. During his 12 seasons at Prairie, he led his teams to nine state dual berths, including a runner-up finish and four top four finishes. He moved back to Solon in 2015 where he led the Spartans to their first state championship in school history in 2017, as well as a runner-up state dual finish that same year, and a sixth place dual finish in 2018. The 2018-19 season will be his 20th as a head coach.
Marti and Jerry Roling will receive the Russ Smith Community Impact Award, which is presented to an individual or individuals who demonstrate exceptional local impact on wrestling in Iowa. Beginning in 1992, the Rolings were instrumental in building support for the Wartburg wrestling program, which led to 14 NCAA team championships and 26 consecutive Iowa conference championships. The Rolings were instrumental in bringing the Dan Gable Celebrity Golf Tournament to Waverly, Iowa, and growing the event to its most successful tenure. They also created the celebrity/sponsor social prior to the Dan Gable Celebrity Golf Tournament. Both remain involved with the Wartburg and the University of Northern Iowa athletic programs, and are monetary supporters of the Waverly-Shell Rock wrestling program.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is a non-profit organization based out of Waterloo, Iowa. The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to preserve history, recognize excellence, and inspire future generations.
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