The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Logan Stieber.   Tribute speakers: Helen Stieber and Hunter Stieber. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.    Recorded June 2024.   SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS   Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Coleman Scott.   Tribute speakers: John Yates and Neil Erisman. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.    Recorded June 2024.   SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS   Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a contributor...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Toccara Montgomery.   Tribute speakers: Jessica Medina and Axa Molina. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.    Recorded June 2024.   SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS   Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Tadaaki Hatta.  Tribute speakers: Nancy Schultz Vitangeli and Anthony Spooner. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.    Recorded June 2024.   SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS   Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Outstanding American recipient Col. Steve Banach.    Tribute speakers: Mark Faller and Samuel Banach. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.  Recorded June 2024.  SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS   Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Medal of Courage recipient Jonathan Koch.    Tribute speakers: Mark Waters and Kyle Klingman. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.    Recorded June 2024.   SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS   Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Order of Merit recipient Darryl W. Miller.    Tribute speakers: Bill Zadick, Jake Miller and Andy Rein. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.  Recorded June 2024.  SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast...

The tribute speeches and induction ceremony for 2024 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Meritorious Service for Officials recipient J.R. Johnson.  Tribute speakers: Jeff Pultz & Dr. Mike McCormick. Tribune emcee: Dave Martin. Induction ceremony emcee: Sandy Stevens.  SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple Podcasts  | Spreaker | iHeartRadio | Spotify  | Android | RSS Contribute And if you're a fan of the extensive and broad-based reach of the shows on the Mat Talk Podcast Network, become a...

Coleman Scott won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics after being an NCAA champion, two-time finalist and four-time All-American for Oklahoma State University.   He helped OSU win NCAA team titles in 2005 and 2006 and to fifth-place finishes in 2007 and 2008. Scott was a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015. He was a three-time Pennsylvania state champion for Waynesburg Central High School. Scott was a two-time USA Wrestling National Junior...

Koch worked as a television producer and co-founded Asylum Entertainment which sold to Legendary Entertainment in 2014. In 2015 his life took an unexpected turn when he fell seriously ill during a producers conference in Washington, D.C. To save his life, doctors had to place Koch into a coma. After several harrowing weeks, he miraculously woke up with his mind and spirit intact. However, he learned that he had survived septic shock, which had severely compromised his body. As a result, he...

Retired United States Army Infantry Colonel Steve Banach began wrestling in the eighth grade and competed alongside his younger twin brothers Ed and Lou Banach for Port Jervis High School in Port Jervis, New York. He continued his career at Clemson University, where he was elected captain of the wrestling team as a freshman and was an Atlantic Coast Conference finalist. Banach then decided to transfer to the University of Iowa, where his twin brothers were wrestling for Dan Gable. Steve...

The 2023 Induction Ceremony and speeches from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend in June 2023 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.   The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has announced that the Class of 2023 is Distinguished Members Rich Bender, Jimmy Jackson, Patricia Miranda and Joe Williams, Meritorious Official honoree Ed Kelly, Order of Merit recipient Frank Popolizio, Medal of Courage recipient Richard Perry, and Outstanding American honoree Bob Bowlsby. SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple...

The Tribute Breakfast for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2023 took place at the McKnight Center on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Speaking for the Class of 2023 honorees were: John Kelly and Joel Weber for Meritorious Official Ed Kelly, Pat Popolizio and Bryan Hazard for Order of Merit recipient Frank Popolizio, Brandon Slay and Jordan Burroughs for Medal of Courage recipient Richard Perry, John Bowlsby and Tim Johnson speaking for Outstanding...

The 2022 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend closed out with its annual induction program featuring all the honorees. The Class of 2022 featured Meritorious Official Tom Clark (posthumously), Order of Merit recipient Mike Moyer, Medal of Courage recipient Melissa Simmons, Outstanding American Mario Lopez and Distinguished Members Clarissa Chun, Sara McMann, Andy Rein and Jake Varner. The program includes highlight speeches and video presentations. Also honored are Dave Schultz High...

The 2022 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend was back to a fully attended in-person event after a delay from the 2020 class and the 2021 induction ceremony. The McKnight Center hosted one of the newest additions to the weekend, the Tribute Breakfast. Speaking at the Tribute Breakfast in 2022 were Rick Tucci and Zach Errett for Meritorious Official inductee Tom Clark, Jim Miller and Greg Hatcher for Order of Merit inductee Mike Moyer, Archie Randall and Dr. Bob Hines for Medal of...

Bruce Burnett has excelled as a coach on the high school, collegiate and international levels, serving as USA Wrestling’s national freestyle coach and leading some of the most successful teams in American history. During his tenure, five Americans won Olympic gold medals and 11 U.S. athletes won 13 World Championships including four champions in 1993 and four in 1995. From 1993-2000, U.S. wrestlers won 22 World medals (11 gold, four silver and seven bronze) and placed in the Top 10 at the...

When wrestlers, coaches, media and fans gather to talk about the G.O.A.T. at Lehigh University, the conversation always includes Mark Lieberman. Combining all styles, he is considered the Mountain Hawks’ greatest overall wrestler. A 1979 Sports Illustrated article described Mark as “the guttiest and the best” college wrestler that year. He was a two-time undefeated NCAA champion at 177 pounds in 1978 and 1979 after a runner-up finish in 1977 at 167. He is part of another special wrestling...

One of only two Americans to win three medals at the Greco-Roman World Championships, Dremiel Byers is considered one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in U.S. history. Byers won a gold medal at the 2002 World Championships and is one of just five Americans to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling. He added a bronze medal in 2007 and a silver medal in 2009 joining Distinguished Member Matt Ghaffari as the only Americans to medal three times. His 2007 bronze medal helped the United States...

As a competitor and coach, Bill Zadick has forever written his name in the U.S. wrestling record book. He won a gold medal at the World Championships in Guangzhou, China in 2006. His younger brother, Mike, brought home a silver medal from the same tournament, making them the first set of brothers since Terry and Tom Brands in 1995 to both make the same World or Olympic team. For a 10-year period, he was one of the most competitive wrestlers on the U.S. national freestyle team. Beginning in...

In 1975, a few months after concluding his wrestling career at Grand Valley State University with a sixth-place finish at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament, Gary Chopp went skydiving. During the 3,000-foot jump, his main and reserve parachutes malfunctioned, causing him to fall freely during the last 300 feet. He crashed into the ground, fracturing his spine and shattering his pelvis. Surgeons removed his damaged kidney and spleen, but he suffered...

Show Notes: Legends Since 1988, Gary Abbott has served as the media face of USA Wrestling, traveling to major wrestling events in the United States and around the globe, including eight Olympic Games, dozens of senior and age-group World Championships and 38 straight NCAA Championships. Currently the Director of Communications and Special Projects, he is responsible for USA Wrestling communications, including publications and other media platforms, media relations, promotions, public...

Tim Shiels began officiating full-time in 1988, working the regional and state tournaments in his home state of Minnesota. He began focusing on college officiating in 1989 and has worked 12 NCAA Division I national championships, seven NCAA Division II national championships, 19 NCAA Division III national championships, five national junior college tournaments and a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament.   He has worked five NCAA DI finals and was selected as a...

The induction speeches for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Meritorious Service for Officials: Tim Shiels Order of Merit: Gary Abbott Medal of Courage: Gary Chopp Outstanding American: Carl Eschenbach Distinguished Members Bruce Burnett Dremiel Byers Mark Lieberman Bill Zadick

An outstanding high school and collegiate wrestler, Rich Lorenzo became an icon in college wrestling as the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1978 to 1992. His exemplary career has earned Lorenzo induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a 2019 Distinguished Member. During his coaching career, he helped 53 Penn State wrestlers earn All-America honors, including two-time NCAA champion Jeff Prescott and national champions Carl DeStefanis, Scott Lynch and Jim Martin....