Pac-12 honors Gutches, Thomas
February 23, 2016 | Wrestling
San Francisco, Calif. - Former Oregon State two-time NCAA champion, Olympian and National Wrestling Hall of Famer Les Gutches was named co-Pacific-12 Conference Wrestler of the Century and the late Dale Thomas was named Pacific-12 Conference Coach of the Century.
Nine Beavers were selected to the 28-member All-Century Team, chosen by a 20-member panel of coaches, wrestlers, administrators and media. The team is comprised of two wrestlers from each weight class, and eight wildcard selections.
OSU and Arizona State led the team with nine selections apiece. Members of the All-Century team combined for 28 national titles, 25 Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year honors, and 70 conference titles.
Other Beavers joining Gutches and Thomas on the All-Century team were Babak Mohammadi (1991-95); Robin Reed (1923-24); Roger Weigel (1969-71); Dan Hicks (1976-79); Greg Strobel (1971-74); Howard Harris (1977-80); Jess Lewis (1968-70), and Larry Bielenberg (1974-77).
Three of the five All-Centurions to compete in the Olympics were Beavers: Reed (1920, 1924); Lewis (1968), and Gutches (1996). Reed won the gold medal in 1924.
Gutches was the undefeated NCAA champion at 177 pounds in 1995 and 1996. He was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1996 NCAA tournament. He was a three-time All-American, a three-time Pac-12 champion, won his final 69 college matches and was 134-10 overall.
He was a 1996 Olympian, a 1997 World Champion, a Goodwill Games gold medalist, and a four-time US National freestyle champion (1996-1999). He is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Thomas coached at OSU from 1956-90 and retired as the NCAA's all-time winningest coach with 616 victories. He was 616-169-12 and coached 60 All-Americans in his 34-year career. He was the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1961 and 1970 and the conference Coach of the Year four times.
Under his guidance, OSU dominated the conference, winning 15 straight conference titles from 1959 to 1973, and 22 overall. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1980.
A 190 pounder/heavyweight, Harris was the 1980 NCAA heavyweight champion, the 1978, 1979 and 1980 Pac-8/10 champion and the Most Outstanding Wrestler and Manuel Gorrarian Award winner at the 1980 NCAA tournament. He was a four-time All-American and placed sixth or higher in four NCAA tournaments. He was 169-25 in four years at OSU, went 46-0 as a senior, and won his final 47 college matches.
A heavyweight, Lewis was the 1969 and 1970 NCAA champion and the runner-up in 1968. He was a three-time All-American, earned the Manuel Gorrarian Award at the 1968 NCAA tournament and was a Pac-8 champion in 1968, 1969 and 1970. He was a 1968 Olympian, was the US Greco-Roman champion in 1968 and 1969 and was 76-1 lifetime.
A 190-pounder, Strobel was the NCAA champion in 1973 and 1974 and an All-American in 1972, 1973 and 1974. He was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1973 NCAAs. He was the Pac-8 champion in 1972, 1973 and 1974 was undefeated in 1973 and 1974, won his final 74 college matches and finished 124-5-1 overall.
A 142-pounder, Hicks was the NCAA champion in 1978 and 1979 and a two-time All-American. He was the 1978 Pac-8 champion and finished with a 108-11-3 career record.
A heavyweight, Bielenberg was the 1975 NCAA champion and placed fifth in 1974, third in 1976 and second in 1977. He was the 1976 and 1977 Pac-8 champion, had a winning streaks of 53 and 40 matches and finished his career with a 164-15-1 record.
A 133-pounder, Mohammadi was a four-time All-American who placed second in 1994 and 1995, fifth in 1992 and sixth in 1991. He was a two-time Pac-10 champion and finished his career with a 117-21 record.
Reed was the 1924 Olympic Gold medalist, and a 1920 Olympian. He was the 1922, 1923 and 1924 US Open freestyle national champion, and was elected to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978.
A 126- and 134-pounder, Weigel was the NCAA champion at 134 in 1971 and the third-place finisher at 126 pounds in 1970. He was the Pac-8 champion in 1969, 1970 and 1971 and finished his career with a 78-12-2 record.
