John Smith (wrestler)

For other people named John Smith, see John Smith (disambiguation).

Medal record
Men's freestyle wrestling
Competitor for the United States
Olympic Games
Gold	1988 Seoul	62 kg
Gold	1992 Barcelona	62 kg
World Championships
Gold	1987 Clermont-Ferrand	62 kg
Gold	1989 Martigny	62 kg
Gold	1990 Tokyo	62 kg
Gold	1991 Varna	62 kg
Pan American Games
Gold	1987 Indianapolis	62 kg
Gold	1991 Havana	62 kg

John William Smith (born August 9, 1965 (1965-08-09) ) is a successful college wrestler, 4-time World Champion, 2-time Olympic Games champion, and is currently the head coach of wrestling at Oklahoma State University.

High school career

Smith grew up in a wrestling family in Del City, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City. His high school career record is 105-5. His older brother Leroy and younger brother Pat Smith also wrestled for Del City High School and Oklahoma State University. All three became national champions in college. The youngest Smith brother, Mark, wrestled at Oklahoma State and was also an All-American. Smith's nephew, Mark Perry, was a national collegiate champion while wrestling for the University of Iowa.

College and freestyle career

Smith's college career record is 154-7; his domestic freestyle record is 80-0; and his international freestyle record is 100-5.

1984

• In Smith's freshman year of NCAA competition, he did not place at the NCAA Tournament.

1985

• In Smith's sophomore year of NCAA competition, he was a Big Eight Runner-up and an NCAA Runner-up.
• USA Junior Freestyle Champion.d Freestyle Champion.

1986

• Smith took a redshirt year and did not compete in NCAA competition.
• USA Senior Freestyle Champion.
• Goodwill Games Champion.

1987

• In Smith's redshirt junior year of NCAA competition, he was a Big Eight Champion and an NCAA Champion.
• Pan American Champion.
• FILA Senior World Freestyle Champion

1988

• In Smith's redshirt senior year of NCAA competition, he was a Big Eight Champion and an NCAA Champion.
• USA Senior Freestyle Champion.
• Olympic Freestyle Champion.

1989

• World Cup champion
• USA Senior Freestyle Champion.
• FILA Senior World Freestyle Champion

1990

• USA senior freestyle champion.
• FILA Senior World Freestyle Champion.
• Goodwill Games Champion.

1991

• World Cup Champion
• USA Senior Freestyle Champion.
• FILA Senior World Freestyle Champion.

1992

• Olympic Freestyle Champion.

Coaching career

• Smith became the head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University beginning with the 1991-1992 season. He succeeded Joe Seay, who resigned during an investigation by the NCAA. Smith has coached at OSU for 18 seasons, longer than any other Cowboy mentor except the legendary Edward Gallagher. Smith has a dual meet record of 281-42-4 and the 281 wins are an Oklahoma State record.
• His teams have won five NCAA wrestling team titles, in 1994 and 2003 through 2006. His wrestlers have won 23 individual NCAA titles and 85 All-American honors. Smith has also captured 10 conference (Big Eight and Big 12) team titles and his wrestlers have won 62 conference crowns.

Other honors

• Smith was the first American to be chosen Master of Technique and Wrestler of the Year by the International Wrestling Federation (FILA).
• Smith was the first wrestler to be voted the James E. Sullivan Award as America's outstanding athlete.
• Smith was the first wrestler ever nominated for the World Trophy, which he received in 1992.
• Smith was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1997.
• His home high school (Del City High School) in Del City, Oklahoma, bears his name on the field house.
• Smith is a member of the Oklahoma Alpha (Oklahoma State) chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon
• Smith also has a move named after him, the John Smith single.

See also

• List of Oklahoma State University Olympians

Bibliography

• Dellinger, Bob & Doris. 1994. The Cowboys Ride Again. Oklahoma Bylines Inc. ISBN 978 1 882336 04 6
• Zavoral, Noaln. 1997. A Season on the Mat. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978 0 684 84787 6
• Hammond, Jairus K. 2005. The History of Collegiate Wrestling. National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. ISBN 978 0 9765064 0 8
• Moffat, James V. 2007. Wrestlers At The Trials. Exit Zero Publishing. ISBN 978 0 9799051 0 0
• Parrish, Kim D. 2007. Cowboy Up. Oklahoma Heritage Association. ISBN 978 1 885596 61 1

External links

• Wrestling Hall of Fame - Coach
• Wrestling Hall of Fame - Wrestler
• Biography at okstate.com
• Collegiate Record - Wrestler
• Collegiate Record - Coach
• John Smith Videos-MatDaddy.com

Video Interviews

• Flowrestling coverage of John Smith