College wrestling: Looking back at the best teams in history

Since 1928, NCAA wrestling championship teams have featured squads of many types. Some teams have dominated the competition, winning by margins of 70 points or more. Others have squeaked by in thrilling fashion, winning by only a single point.

Through the last 85 championships, there have been teams with up to six wrestlers in the finals. Three title teams are tied with a record five individual champions, and one team earned the crown without a single finalist, but had 10 All-Americans.

As of Monday, Feb. 29 at Noon ET, the 2001 Gopher wrestling team received the most retweets.

138.5 total team points. 10 All-Americans.

RETWEET if the 2001 team was the greatest ever!

— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling)

1941 Oklahoma State Cowboys

Coach: Art Griffith

37 Points

4 NCAA Champions

(136-Al Whitehurst, 145-David Arndt, 155-Earl VanBebber, 165-Virgil Smith)

7 All-Americans (8 weights) (1-1-1-1-2-3-3)

5 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Michigan State by 11 points

1947 Cornell College Rams

Coach: Paul Scott

“The Dream Team of 1947”

32 Points

2 NCAA Champions

(121-Dick Hauser, 136-Lowell Lange)

6 All-Americans  (8 weights) (1-1-2-3-3-3)

3 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Northern Iowa by 13 points

Currently a Division III school

1950 Northern Iowa Panthers

Coach: Dave McCuskey

30 Points

3 NCAA Champions

(145- Keith Young, 155- Bill Nelson, 165-Bill Smith)

7 All-Americans (8 Weights)

(1-1-1-2-2-3-4)

5 Finalists

Outdistanced second-place Purdue by 14 points

1957 Oklahoma Sooners

Coach: Port Robertson

73 Points

2 NCAA Champions

(115- Dick Delgado, 177-Dan Hodge)

7 All-Americans (1-1-3-3-3-4-4)

Outdistanced Second-Place Pittsburgh by 7 points

 

1965 Iowa State Cyclones

Coach: Dr. Harold Nichols

87 Points

2 NCAA Champions

(147-Veryl Long, 177-Tom Peckham)

9 All-Americans (1-1-3-3-3-3-3-4-5)

2 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Oklahoma State by 1 point

1966 Oklahoma State Cowboys

Coach: Myron Roderick

79 Points

3 NCAA Champions

(130- Yojiro Uetake, 137- Gene Davis, 191-Bill Harlow)

8 All-Americans (1-1-1-2-3-4-4-6)

Outdistanced second-place Iowa State by 9 points

 

1967 Michigan State Spartans

Coach: Grady Peninger

74 Points

2 NCAA Champions

(137-Dale Anderson, 167-George Radman)

7 All-Americans (11 weights) (1-1-2-2-3-4-6)

4 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Michigan by 11 points

1969 Iowa State Cyclones

Coach: Dr. Harold Nichols

104 Points

3 NCAA Champions

(137-Dan Gable, 167-Jason Smith, 177-Chuck Jean)

9 All-Americans (11 weights) (1-1-1-2-5-5-5-5-6)

4 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Oklahoma by 35 points

1983 Iowa Hawkeyes

Coach: Dan Gable

155 Points

4 NCAA Division I Champions

(126-Barry Davis, 158-Jim Zalesky, 190-Ed Banach, UNL-Lou Banach)

9 All-Americans (1-1-1-1-2-3-5-5)

5 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Oklahoma State by 53

1986 Iowa Hawkeyes

Coach: Dan Gable

158 Points

NCAA Record-Tying 5 Division I Champions

(126-Brad Penrith, 142-Kevin Dresser, 150-Jim Heffernan, 167-Marty Kistler, 190-Duane Goldman)

8 All-Americans (1-1-1-1-1-2-4-5)

6 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Oklahoma by 73.75 points

Largest Point Gap in NCAA Division I History

1987 Iowa State Cyclones

Coach: Jim Gibbons

133 Points

4 NCAA Champions

(126-Bill Kelly, 150-Tim Krieger, 158-Stewart Carter, 190-Eric Voelker)

6 All-Americans (1-1-1-1-2-3)

5 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Iowa by 25 Points

1997 Iowa Hawkeyes

Coach: Dan Gable

NCAA Record 170 Points

NCAA Record-Tying 5 Division I Champions

(118-Jesse Whitmer, 134-Mark Ironside, 150-Lincoln McIlravy, 158-Joe Williams, 190-Lee Fullhart)

8 All-Americans (1-1-1-1-1-2-5-6)

6 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Oklahoma State by 56.5 point

2001 Minnesota Golden Gophers

Coach: J Robinson

138.5 Points

10 All-Americans (3-3-3-4-4-4-5-6-8-8)

Only team in NCAA DI history with 10-for-10 All-Americans

No Finalists

2005 Oklahoma State Cowboys

Coach: John Smith

153 Points

NCAA Record-Tying 5 Division I Champions

(149-Zack Esposito, 165-Johny Hendricks, 174-Chris Pendleton, 197-Jake Rosholt, 285-Steve Mocco)

7 All-Americans (1-1-1-1-1-4-8)

5 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Michigan by 70 points

Second-largest Gap in NCAA history

2012 Penn State Nittany Lions

Coach: Cael Sanderson

143 Points

3 NCAA Champions

(149-Frank Molinaro, 165-David Taylor, 174-Ed Ruth)

6 All-Americans (1-1-1-2-2-3)

5 Finalists

Outdistanced Second-Place Minnesota by 25.5 points