AMES, Iowa – Former Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion Kevin Jackson has been named Iowa State’s head wrestling coach. Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard will introduce Jackson – often referred to as one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in United States history – at an 11 a.m. news conference Friday in the Jacobson Athletic Building (Hunziker Auditorium).
Jackson captured gold medals at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and at the World Championships in both 1991 (Varna, Bulgaria) and 1995 (Atlanta). He is one of just five wrestlers in U.S. history with three career world-level titles.  Jackson is a member of the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame, the United States National Wrestling Hall of Fame (as a distinguished member) and the Iowa State University Athletics Hall of Fame (2007 inductee).
“We are very excited to welcome Kevin back to the Cyclone family,” Pollard said. “He was captain of the last Cyclone national championship team and is a member of our Athletics Department’s Hall of Fame. His competitive intensity, combined with his technical skills as a coach, will make an immediate impact on our wrestling program. For the last decade, Kevin has coached and trained the best United States wrestlers. He has excelled at the highest levels of international wrestling as both an athlete and coach.”
 
Jackson’s return to Iowa State brings back fond memories for him.
“Winning a national team championship at ISU remains a career highlight and I’m grateful for the opportunity to come back to Ames and lead such a distinguished program,” Jackson said. “There is no ceiling to what we can accomplish on and off the mat at Iowa State and I couldn’t be more excited to get started. I’m pleased to inherit such an outstanding team and we’ll begin immediately to focus on hard work and technique with the goal of competing for the NCAA title. We’ll build a wrestling environment at Iowa State in which our student-athletes will flourish in and our fans will respond.”
 
Currently head coach of the Sunkist youth development program, Jackson served eight years (2001-08) as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling. He was the first full-time freestyle wrestling coach for the organization and took two United States’ teams to the Olympics. Two of his athletes – Cael Sanderson (2004) and Henry Cejudo (2008) – won gold medals. His 2001 freestyle team won the World Cup, the 2003 team placed second and the 2006 squad finished third at that meet.
 
Prior to his appointment as the nation’s head freestyle coach, Jackson was freestyle resident coach at the Olympic Training Center and head coach for the U.S. Army team at Fort Carson (1998-2001). During that tenure, he personally trained 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay.
 
As a college wrestler, he attended Louisiana State and earned All-America honors three times before the school dropped the sport. He transferred to Iowa State for his senior year and captained the Cyclones’ last NCAA championship team (1987), earning another All-America award with a NCAA runner-up finish and registering a 30-3-1 record.
After college, Jackson won two Pan American Games titles and was a member of World Championship teams for the United States in both 1993 and 1995. He won three U.S. National Titles and placed second five times. Jackson also became the first American to win the prestigious Takhti Cup (1998) in Tehran, Iran.
 
During his post-collegiate competitive career, Jackson also assisted with the Cyclone Wrestling Club (1989-92) and volunteered with the Arizona State (1997) program.
Jackson’s success earned him a number of major awards, including the 1995 John Smith Award as National Freestyle Wrestler of the Year, 1992 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year and 1991 USA Wrestling and USOC Wrestler of the Year.
 
He earned a bachelor of sports science degree from the U.S. Sports Academy / University of Americas in 2005.
The native of Lansing, Mich., won two state high school championships for Eastern High School before becoming a Junior National Greco-Roman champion.
Jackson and his wife, Robin (a native of Emmetsburg, Iowa), have five children: Cole, Bailee, Trinity, Brynn and Kira.
 

Article from http://wyomingathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/071408aab.html
LARAMIE, Wyo. -
University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman announced on Monday that Mark Branch has been selected as the new head wrestling coach at UW.
Branch comes to Wyoming from Oklahoma State University where he was the Associate Head Wrestling Coach. He was a part of five NCAA team championships as a coach and student-athlete at OSU. As a college wrestler, Branch was a member of OSU's 1994 NCAA Championship team, and served on the coaching staff for OSU's 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 NCAA titles.
He provided the Cowboys from Stillwater with personal and team instruction including technique training, weight training, conditioning and nutrition. He was instrumental in the recruiting of student-athletes to Stillwater, as well as organizing fundraising projects, promotional strategies and assisting in public relation functions with student-athletes.
Branch replaces Steven Suder, who coached the Wyoming Cowboys from 1989-2008.
"The hiring of Mark is exciting for the future of Wyoming Cowboy wrestling," Burman said. "We feel his experience and passion will enable us to become a national player in the wrestling community."
"For me, this is the realization of my goal to become an NCAA head coach," said Branch. "I'm from a competitive background, and I was looking for a place where I could build a nationally-competitive program. I believe there is a great deal of support from the Athletic Department and the University as a whole at Wyoming. Wyoming is the right program for me and the right fit for me and my family. I appreciate the confidence that Tom Burman (UW Athletics Director) and Matt Whisenant (UW Senior Associate Athletics Director) have shown in me to get the job done."
As a member of the OSU coaching staff, Branch was named the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004. He helped coach OSU to seven Big XII Championships, four NCAA Championships and three Dual Team Championships. He was named the Associate Head Coach at OSU in 2002. He individually coached 31 All-Americans and nine NCAA Champions.
Branch has been a freestyle wrestling coach for the Gator Club in New Orleans, La., since 1997 where he provides personal instruction and training in freestyle wrestling. His teams have participated at various World Team training camps. He has coached at the U.S. Nationals and World/Olympic Team Trials.

As a student-athlete at OSU, Branch was a four-time NCAA All-American (1994-97), four-time NCAA National Finalist (1994-97), two-time NCAA National Champion at 167 pounds (1994 and '97) and a two-time National Freestyle All-American (1998 and '99). In 1997, he was named the Big XII Athlete of the Year, OSU Student-Athlete of the Year and the top graduating senior for OSU Wrestling. He was a four-time NWCA Academic All-American, received an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship Award and a Big XII Post-Graduate Scholarship Award.
Branch earned his bachelor of science degree in secondary education from Oklahoma State in 1997 and earned his master of science degree in athletic administration from OSU in 2000.
"I wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for the opportunities I was given at my alma mater, Oklahoma State," said Branch. "John Smith (Head Wrestling Coach at Oklahoma State) gave me the opportunity to learn from him. I consider him to be the greatest coach in college wrestling. I was fortunate to be a part of the greatest program in college wrestling as a student-athlete and assistant coach with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, now I'm excited to build on the great tradition of Wyoming Cowboy wrestling."
A native of Newkirk, Okla., he and his wife Susan have a daughter, Maggie Belle, and a son, Mason Layne. 
 

STILLWATER, OKLA. - The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum has announced the selection of the Class of 2007 Distinguished Members to be inducted at its annual Honors Weekend Banquet and Induction Ceremony June 2, 2007 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The event will mark the 31st anniversary Class of the Hall of Fame & Museum.

Four wrestling greats will be added as Distinguished Members in 2007. They are:
Barry Davis of Madison, Wis.
Greg Gibson of Fontana, Calif.
Larry Kristoff of Bertholo, Ill.
William J. Weick of Chicago Ridge, Ill.

All four of these wrestling greats had major achievements at the Olympic Games and World Championships, three as athletes and one as a coach.
Davis won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling and competed on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team. Gibson won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Greco-Roman wrestling. Kristoff was a member of two U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling teams.
Kristoff won five medals at the World Championships representing the United States, while Davis was a two-time World medalist during his career. Gibson won three World medals in freestyle wrestling, and was also a World champion in the sport of Sombo. Weick served on the coaching staff of a number of U.S. World and Olympic teams.
Three had successful careers in coaching, as well. Weick made his impact on the high school level in Illinois, earning more than 700 dual meet victories for three programs over the last four decades, including five state champion teams. Kristoff was a champion coach at the NCAA Div. II level, leading SIU-Edwardsville to three consecutive NCAA titles. Davis currently serves as the head coach on the Div. I level at the Univ. of Wisconsin.
All four were outstanding college wrestlers. Davis won three NCAA Div. I national titles for Iowa and Weick claimed a pair of NCAA titles for the Univ. of Northern Iowa. Kristoff won two NCAA Div. II national crowns for SIU-Carbondale and was a Div. I runner-up. Gibson was a two-time NCAA All-American for Oregon, including a runner-up finish.
The Hall of Fame's Board of Governors approved these selections at its semi-annual meeting held in Las Vegas in December 2006.
?I want to thank our Board of Governors and the various screening and selection committees involved in the six-month process that determines our honorees for induction. This is another exceptional class of inductees whose merits transcend our sport," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.
Davis becomes a Distinguished Member after a successful international career, as well as an impressive college background. He won a silver medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif., and earned a spot on the 1988 Olympic team which competed in Seoul, South Korea. Davis also claimed two World medals, a silver in 1987 and a bronze in 1985. He was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American competing for the Univ. of Iowa, also winning four Big Ten titles. He currently serves as the head wrestling coach at the Univ. of Wisconsin.
Gibson is considered one of the most versatile wrestlers in history, winning World medals in three international styles: Greco-Roman, freestyle and Sombo. He won a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles in Greco-Roman wrestling, and added World silver medals in freestyle in 1981 and 1983 and a World bronze in freestyle in 1982. He won his Sombo World title in 1981. Gibson was a member of a the 1981, 1982 and 1985 Greco-Roman World Teams. He was a Pan American Games champion in 1983, and won three Freestyle World Cup titles. Gibson served in the U.S. Marines for more than 20 years, and is considered the greatest U.S. military wrestler, winning 19 Armed Forces titles in the two styles. He also won numerous national titles in both styles. Gibson had a successful college career, earning All-American honors twice for the Univ. of Oregon, including a runner-up finish in 1976.
Kristoff was one of the greatest heavyweight wrestlers in American history, with dominant performances on the national and international levels during the 1960?s. He won five World medals for the United States in international freestyle wrestling, capturing silver medals in 1966, 1969 and 1979 and bronze medals in 1965 and 1967. Kristoff competed on two U.S. Olympic teams, placed seventh at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan and fifth at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. He won a total of 13 Senior-level national titles, competing in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. As a college wrestler, Kristoff was a two-time NCAA Div. II national champion, and placed second in the NCAA Div. I National Championships. As a coach, he led SIU-Edwardsville to three NCAA Div. II national titles, coaching numerous champions and All-Americans.
Weick is regarded as one of the top wrestling coaches in the nation, with special achievements in international freestyle wrestling and on the high school level. He served on the coaching staff for a number of U.S. teams at the Olympic Games and World Championships. Weick was head coach of the 1975 Pan American Games team that won the team title, and also led U.S. teams to victory at the World Cup, the Junior World Championships and the World University Games. His high school coaching career is legendary, with a career record of 749-112-2 at Tilden Tech, Mount Carmel and Brother Rice High Schools in Illinois. Five of his teams won state team titles, and three were state dual meet champions, and Weick has coached 21 state champion athletes, three of which went on to win six NCAA Division IA Titles. He was a member of the first U.S. World Greco-Roman team in 1961. Weick won two NCAA titles competing for the Univ. of Northern Iowa.
Complete biographies of the inductees will be posted each day this week on TheMat.com (www.themat.com), with Davis on Thursday, Gibson on Friday, Kristoff on Saturday, and Weick on Sunday.
Additional honorees will be announced in the categories of Outstanding American, Order of Merit, Medal of Courage, and Outstanding Official next week.