Oklahoma State University Athletics
Smith Gets Another Hall of Fame Induction
June 03, 2011 | Cowboy Wrestling
June 3, 2011
STILLWATER, Okla. - Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith will be inducted into the OSU College of Education Hall of Fame tonight as part of a banquet in Willard Hall on campus.
Induction into the Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the College. Inductees are chosen by a committee of representatives of the College's Alumni Association, Associates, faculty, and administration. This is the College of Education's 13th Hall of Fame class.
Smith earned a degree in physical education in 1988 and was a two-time NCAA champion wrestler for the Cowboys. He went on to become the most-decorated American wrestler ever, winning two Olympic Gold medals and six straight World Championships from 1987-92. Smith has served as the OSU wrestling coach since 1991 with his teams capturing five NCAA Championships (1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). In addition, 24 of his wrestlers have won individual NCAA titles. In 1990, Smith received the U.S. Olympic Committee's Sportsman of the Year and he was named among one of the 100 Greatest Olympians of All-Time in 1996.
Smith is a distinguished member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum and has previously been inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma State University Athletic Hall of Honor, among others.
Other notable members of the OSU athletic department to be inducted into the College of Education Hall of Fame are football stars Bob Fenimore and Neill Armstrong (both inducted in 2004), basketball coach Eddie Sutton (inducted in 2005) and basketball player Doyle Parrack (inducted in 2006).
