Kilrain elected to National Wrestling Hall of Fame as Outstanding American
11/5/2013 5:54:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Former Lehigh great Colin Kilrain '82 has been elected by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum to be inducted into the Hall of Outstanding Americans. The ceremony will take place on June 20-21, 2014 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
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The Hall of Outstanding Americans recognizes those who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers in other walks of life, such as science and technology, business, government and the military, and the arts and humanities.
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Kilrain is currently serving as the assistant commanding officer at the Joint Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, N.C. He is a career Naval Special Warfare SEAL officer with multiple Joint Special Operation duty assignments during his military career. He was a three-time All-American (1980-82) and four-time EIWA champion with a career record of 87-8.
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One of only nine four-time champions in the 109-year history of the EIWA, Kilrain is one of just three wrestlers to win a championship at three different weight classes (167, 177, 190). A two-time captain and three-time third place NCAA finisher, Kilrain's .916 career winning percentage ranks seventh in school annals. In his last three years at Lehigh, Kilrain compiled an astounding 70-4 record with 23 wins-by-fall and 26 bonus wins. Four of those wins came versus NCAA Champions.
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During Kilrain's sophomore season, nearly defeated three time NCAA Champion Ed Banach of Iowa before suffering an injury and losing by just a single point.Â
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The next year, Kilrain exacted revenge on Banach, defeating him 9-5 at Stabler Arena in front of a raucous crowd of over 4,500 people. Kilrain was ranked first in the nation at 190 pounds as a junior, and later went onto earn the No. 1 seed for that year's national tournament at 177 pounds.Â
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As a senior, Kilrain defeated eventual NCAA Champion Pete Bush of Iowa by major decision in their regular season dual in Iowa City by a score of 11-1. He again earned the top seed at NCAAs, this time at 190 pounds, and finished his final season on the mat with a record of 23-1.
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Joining Kilrain as a 2014 inductee into the Hall of Outstanding Americans is Ohio congressman Jim Jordan.
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Also elected to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2014 are Distinguished Members Eric Guerrero, Dean Lahr, Mickey Martin, and Kerry McCoy. A two-time NCAA Champion and two-time U.S. Olympian, McCoy coached at Lehigh under Greg Strobel from 2000-2005, serving as a volunteer assistant for the Mountain Hawks and head coach and Director of Wrestling for the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club.
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Receiving the Hall of Fame's other national awards are: Tim Johnson, Order of Merit; Tom Norris, Medal of Courage; and Jerry Kunz, Lifetime Achievement for an Official.
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Other recent inductees to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with Lehigh ties include Strobel and Ed Eichelberger '56. Both men were inducted as Distinguished Members, Strobel in 2012 and Eichelberger in 2009. Lehigh also has four men with University ties in the Hall of Outstanding Americans: Phillip Rauch '33, Art Rutzen '70, Dr. Kenneth J. Faust '55 and former President Dr. Peter Likins.
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Story by Cody Newton '14
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Former Lehigh great Colin Kilrain '82 has been elected by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum to be inducted into the Hall of Outstanding Americans. The ceremony will take place on June 20-21, 2014 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Â
The Hall of Outstanding Americans recognizes those who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers in other walks of life, such as science and technology, business, government and the military, and the arts and humanities.
Â
Kilrain is currently serving as the assistant commanding officer at the Joint Special Operations Command in Fort Bragg, N.C. He is a career Naval Special Warfare SEAL officer with multiple Joint Special Operation duty assignments during his military career. He was a three-time All-American (1980-82) and four-time EIWA champion with a career record of 87-8.
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One of only nine four-time champions in the 109-year history of the EIWA, Kilrain is one of just three wrestlers to win a championship at three different weight classes (167, 177, 190). A two-time captain and three-time third place NCAA finisher, Kilrain's .916 career winning percentage ranks seventh in school annals. In his last three years at Lehigh, Kilrain compiled an astounding 70-4 record with 23 wins-by-fall and 26 bonus wins. Four of those wins came versus NCAA Champions.
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During Kilrain's sophomore season, nearly defeated three time NCAA Champion Ed Banach of Iowa before suffering an injury and losing by just a single point.Â
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The next year, Kilrain exacted revenge on Banach, defeating him 9-5 at Stabler Arena in front of a raucous crowd of over 4,500 people. Kilrain was ranked first in the nation at 190 pounds as a junior, and later went onto earn the No. 1 seed for that year's national tournament at 177 pounds.Â
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As a senior, Kilrain defeated eventual NCAA Champion Pete Bush of Iowa by major decision in their regular season dual in Iowa City by a score of 11-1. He again earned the top seed at NCAAs, this time at 190 pounds, and finished his final season on the mat with a record of 23-1.
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Joining Kilrain as a 2014 inductee into the Hall of Outstanding Americans is Ohio congressman Jim Jordan.
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Also elected to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2014 are Distinguished Members Eric Guerrero, Dean Lahr, Mickey Martin, and Kerry McCoy. A two-time NCAA Champion and two-time U.S. Olympian, McCoy coached at Lehigh under Greg Strobel from 2000-2005, serving as a volunteer assistant for the Mountain Hawks and head coach and Director of Wrestling for the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club.
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Receiving the Hall of Fame's other national awards are: Tim Johnson, Order of Merit; Tom Norris, Medal of Courage; and Jerry Kunz, Lifetime Achievement for an Official.
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Other recent inductees to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame with Lehigh ties include Strobel and Ed Eichelberger '56. Both men were inducted as Distinguished Members, Strobel in 2012 and Eichelberger in 2009. Lehigh also has four men with University ties in the Hall of Outstanding Americans: Phillip Rauch '33, Art Rutzen '70, Dr. Kenneth J. Faust '55 and former President Dr. Peter Likins.
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Story by Cody Newton '14
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