Question for the wrestling historians

[jrod65]

After reading an article about David Kjeldgaard and @tigerguy_ 's post in the recruit thread about Jesuroga getting an offer from UNC, a question came to mind that I could use some help with.

What are the names of some Iowa high school kids that were multi-time AAs on the D1 level that didn't go to one of the in-state schools(Iowa, ISU, UNI)?

I am only able to think of two off the top of my head:

Tolly Thompson and Mack Reiter

Is that it, or am I just blanking on some hammers that I really should remember?

 

[Inspiteofourselves]

Kjeldgard was a AA for Oklahoma
I thought Brandon Mason was a AA for Okie st
Bob Steenlage AA West Point
Andrew Long PSU
Jeff Theiler 2X AA for Arizona state

 

[Gusaford]

Jason Kelber, Nebraska

 

[Gobblin]

Steve Blackmon ASU

Did Josh Ihnen AA at Nebby?

 

[jrod65]

Jason Kelber, Nebraska

Good call on Kelber.

 

[jrod65]

Steve Blackmon ASU

Did Josh Ihnen AA at Nebby?

Ihnen was a multi time bloodrounder, 1 time AA.

And small correction, its Blackford. But, good call on him.

 

[jrod65]

Kjeldgard was a AA for Oklahoma
I thought Brandon Mason was a AA for Okie st
Bob Steenlage AA West Point
Andrew Long PSU
Jeff Theiler 2X AA for Arizona state

Thanks, I never would have remembered Theiler.

Unfortunately, injuries struck Kjeldgaard and he never AA'd.

 

[wasdt21]

did kerber ever aa at cornell ?

 

[DonHawkeye]

Dale Anderson

 

[DonHawkeye]

Borshel, Slaton...

 

[HawkTalk3]

Willie Miklus earned multiple AAs for Mizzou before transferring to ISU for most recent comes to mind

 

[burk11]

Dale Anderson

Great call!

 

[butchinmi]

Was Theiler from Dowling? I was thinking of a Dowling kid that went to ASU but didn’t think Thieler was his name.

 

[butchinmi]

did kerber ever aa at cornell ?

I don’t remember him even wrestling much.

 

[Birky]

Was Theiler from Dowling? I was thinking of a Dowling kid that went to ASU but didn’t think Thieler was his name.

Yep, Theiler was a Dowling kid.

 

[MVPFAN]

did kerber ever aa at cornell ?

I don't think so

 

[T8KUDWN]

did kerber ever aa at cornell ?

Morningstar knocked Kerber out of the tournament their senior year. I don't believe Kerber ever AA'd

 

[west2east]

Morningstar knocked Kerber out of the tournament their senior year. I don't believe Kerber ever AA'd

Kerber never AA'd

 

[SPOONER]

Was Theiler from Dowling? I was thinking of a Dowling kid that went to ASU but didn’t think Thieler was his name.

The aforementioned Steve Blackford was also from Dowling and wrestled at ASU.

 

[MVPFAN]

Morningstar knocked Kerber out of the tournament their senior year. I don't believe Kerber ever AA'd

Actually it was his close friend and High School teammate Aaron Jansen that beat him that year.

 

[demogorgon]

Kerber never AA'd

Kerber struggled with injuries and was wrestling up multiple weights at times. His tax bill would be a hell of a take home pay.

 

[west2east]

Kerber struggled with injuries and was wrestling up multiple weights at times. His tax bill would be a hell of a take home pay.

Yes was up at 184 then had a good year at 165. I think he made 2 tournaments

 

[T8KUDWN]

Actually it was his close friend and High School teammate Aaron Jansen that beat him that year.

So it must have been Morningstar's senior year and Kerber's junior year for that match at nationals??

 

[west2east]

So it must have been Morningstar's senior year and Kerber's junior year for that match at nationals??

Yes Morningstar with a reversal in last few seconds to win in OT

 

[MVPFAN]

Yes Morningstar with a reversal in last few seconds to win in OT

That was the year M* gutted out AA on the messed up knee.

 

[west2east]

That was the year M* gutted out AA on the messed up knee.

Yes 2010 same year Ness beat Dennis in Omaha

 

[jrod65]

Great info all! Thanks.

Quick recap on the multi-time AA's:

Tolly Thompson
Mack Reiter
Jeff Theiler
Jason Kelber
Steve Blackford
Dale Anderson
Willie Miklus

Anyone else that we are missing?

 

[ISUChip]

These are just the national champions:

Ralph Lupton (Northwestern; Marshalltown) - 1928
Dale Hanson (Minnesota; Cresco) - 1939
Harold Nichols (Michigan; Cresco) - 1939
Don Nichols (Michigan; Cresco) - 1940
Norvard Nalan (Michigan; Mason City) - 1953, 1954
Mike Natvig (Army; Decorah) - 1962, 1963
Mike Nissen (Nebraska; Mason City) - 1963
Dale Anderson (Michigan State; Waterloo) - 1967, 1968
Jason Kelber (Nebraska; Albion) - 1991
Tolly Thompson (Nebraska; Janesville) - 1995

 

[ISUChip]

Runner-up list:

Floyd Helgerson (Ohio State; Marshalltown) - 1930
Dale Hanson (Minnesota; Cresco) - 1940
John Roberts (Wisconsin; West Des Moines) - 1941
Paul Martin (Oklahoma State; Algona) - 1978
Al Freeman (Nebraska; Griswold) - 1983
Jason Kelber (Nebraska; Albion) - 1990

 

[SPOONER]

Yes 2010 same year Ness beat Dennis in Omaha

Or, said a different way...because that was weird...

Yes, that was Omaha 2010 when the Hawks won the team title and crowned 3 NCAA champions. It was awesome.

 

[rider57]

The aforementioned Steve Blackford was also from Dowling and wrestled at ASU.

Andy Harrison a Valley kid went to ASU, but I don't think he ever AA'd

 

[west2east]

Or, said a different way...because that was weird...

Yes, that was Omaha 2010 when the Hawks won the team title and crowned 3 NCAA champions. It was awesome.

Just what I remember about Omaha is the Dennis match. Anytime anyone ever mentions Omaha I think of that

 

[pablow]

James Nicholson from Des Moines Roosevelt was a two time AA at Old Dominion.

 

[WSC72]

Who were the Lewis Central twins (I think) that went to Nebraska?

 

[MVPFAN]

Who were the Lewis Central twins (I think) that went to Nebraska?

Paulson twins were ISU.

 

[WSC72]

Paulson twins were ISU.

Thanks for the correction.

 

[sambud]

Joe Corso, Valley grad, placed third at the nationals from Purdue. Went on to something like 10 national freestyle championships, finished third in World Championship in 1979, member on our Olympic team in 1976, inducted into Hall of Fame in 2019. Beat me in ping pong the first time he tried it and I had played a lot all through college.

 

[ISUChip]

Now that I've had some time, here's a list I've compiled from Jason Bryant's database.

3x All-Americans (7)
Dale Anderson (Waterloo) - Michigan State, 1966-67-68
Paul Martin (Algona) - Oklahoma State, 1975-77-78
Jason Kelber (Albion/West Marshall) - Nebraska, 1989-90-91
Tolly Thompson (Janesville) - Nebraska, 1995-96-97
Steven Blackford (WDM/Dowling) - Arizona State, 1999-2000-01
Mack Reiter (Gilbertville/Don Bosco) - Minnesota, 2005-06-08
Willie Miklus (Altoona/SE Polk) - Missouri, 2015-16-18

2x All-Americans (11)
Floyd Helgerson (Marshalltown) - Ohio State, 1928-30
Dale Hanson (Cresco) - Minnesota, 1939-40
L. Wayne Smith (Fort Dodge) - Michigan 1946; Navy 1950
Garth Lappin (Cresco) - Minnesota, 1947-49
Norvard Nalan (Mason City) - Michigan, 1953-54
Mike Natvig (Decorah) - Army, 1962-63
Mike Nissen (Mason City) - Nebraska, 1962-63
Gerald Malecek (Belle Plaine) - Michigan State, 1970-72
Al Freeman (Griswold) - Nebraska, 1981-83
Jeff Theiler (DSM/Dowling) - Arizona State, 1994-95
James Nicholson (DSM/Roosevelt) - Old Dominion, 2008-11

1x All-Americans (27)
Ralph Lupton (Marshalltown) - Northwestern, 1928
Blair Thomas (Cresco) - Michigan, 1928
Earl Thomas (Cresco) - Michigan, 1936
Harold Nichols (Cresco) - Michigan, 1940
John Roberts (West Des Moines) - Wisconsin, 1941
Frank Hirt (Mason City) - Michigan, 1956
Bill Wright (Waterloo) - Minnesota, 1959
Dave Hansen (Britt) - Wyoming, 1960
Harold Thompson (Osage) - Nebraska, 1962
Mike Harman (New Hampton) - Navy, 1963
Larry Lloyd (Britt) - Minnesota, 1964
Bob Steenlage (Britt) - Army, 1966
Don Miller (Eagle Grove) - Wyoming, 1967
Al Borkowski (Audubon) - Northwest Missouri, 1968
Wydell Boyd (Davenport/Central) - Northwestern, 1970
Joe Corso (West Des Moines) - Purdue, 1975
Phil Callahan (Clinton) - Illinois, 1986
Jeff Castro (Bettendorf) - Montana, 1987
Dan Costigan (Lawler/Turkey Valley) - Army, 1987
Kirk Azinger (DeWitt) - Illinois, 1988
Joe Malecek (Osage) - Nebraska, 1990
Pat Waters (Iowa City High) - Cornell, 1990
Brad Canoyer (Griswold) - Nebraska, 1995
Terry Parham (Pacific Junction/Glenwood) - Air Force, 2002
Brandon Mason (Shenandoah/Lewis Central) - Oklahoma State, 2007
Andrew Long (Creston) - Penn State, 2011
Josh Ihnen (Sheldon) - Nebraska, 2012

 

[el dub]

Joe Corso, Valley grad, placed third at the nationals from Purdue. Went on to something like 10 national freestyle championships, finished third in World Championship in 1979, member on our Olympic team in 1976, inducted into Hall of Fame in 2019. Beat me in ping pong the first time he tried it and I had played a lot all through college.

I met Joe in his parents pizza place around the corner from us in WDM. Had no idea he had that freestyle success.

 

[sambud]

I met Joe in his parents pizza place around the corner from us in WDM. Had no idea he had that freestyle success.

Outstanding pizza. Joe's father who owned the pizza place was a WWll hero as a decorated member of the 13th Armored Black Cat Division that went the length of France, into Germany and Bavaria all the way to Hitler's home in the mountains. He was quite a bit taller than Joe and a member of the Hawkeye basketball team in the 30's. I suspect he passed quite a bit of that toughness to his son.