Bill Koll
William H. Koll (August 12, 1923 – September 27, 2003) was an American wrestler at Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) and wrestling coach, most notably at his alma mater and for the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling team. As a wrestler Koll was undefeated (72–0) and won three straight NCAA Championships (1946–1948), He was twice voted outstanding wrestler at the national tournament, the first wrestler to achieve this honor. Koll competed for the U.S. at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London[1] and place fifth in the freestyle competition. As a professor of Health and Physical Education and coach, Koll led Penn State for 14 seasons (1965–1979), which included unbeaten dual meet campaigns in 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1974.
Koll's college career was interrupted by World War II, during which he participated in the Normandy landings and earned a Bronze Star. Koll is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame[2] and the father of Rob Koll,[3] the head wrestling coach at Cornell University.
See also
References
- ^ Wrestling at the 1948 Olympics
- ^ "Bill Koll Entry to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ^ "Bill & Rob Koll: Like Father, Like Son". The Wrestling Talk, July. 7, 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- 1923 births
- 2003 deaths
- American male sport wrestlers
- Northern Iowa Panthers football coaches
- Northern Iowa Panthers wrestlers
- Olympic wrestlers of the United States
- Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling coaches
- Wrestlers at the 1948 Summer Olympics
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- Sportspeople from Fort Dodge, Iowa