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    Mark Palmer •

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    Edgar, Jones, Leen among 2015 NWHOF Oklahoma Chapter honorees

    Seven individuals with roots in wrestling in the state of Oklahoma -- including Mark Leen, Rex Edgar, and Mike Jones who have strong connections to the sport at the college level -- will be welcomed into the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame this October.

    Edgar, Jones and Leen -- along with Larry Wilkey, who coached at Stillwater and Jenks, and William E. "Butch" Jacobsen, high school coach who guided Geary to its only Oklahoma state title then coached Pat Smith at Del City High, and also served as a high school and college referee for 25 years -- will be honored with a Lifetime Service to Wrestling award, presented to coaches, officials and contributors who have given at least 20 years of service to the sport of wrestling. In addition, Larry Estep will receive the Medal of Courage award, given to an individual who has overcome insurmountable odds whether it be physical or mental, and Kelly Gregg will take home the Outstanding American award, given to an individual who has gone on to succeed in other walks of life but attribute part of their success to what they learned in wrestling.

    Born in Hayward, Okla. in 1935, Rex Edgar wrestled at powerhouse Perry High School, then at University of Oklahoma, where he was a Big Seven conference champ at 167 pounds, and an NCAA All-American in 1957. Wrestling for the legendary Port Robertson, one of Edgar's Sooner teammates was none other than Dan Hodge. In addition to careers in banking and in the Army, Edgar served as head wrestling coach at Perry High through most of the 1960s.

    Mike Jones
    Mike Jones wrestled and served as a coach at Oklahoma State in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After graduating in 1982, Jones stayed in Stillwater, serving as a graduate assistant coach for the Cowboys in 1983. He then launched an enduring career as a junior high and high school wrestling coach at several Oklahoma high schools, including Broken Arrow, and at Bixby High School, as well as a mat official. Just last year, Jones was awarded the Gallagher Award, named in honor of the legendary Cowboy wrestling coach Ed Gallagher, presented annually to an Oklahoma State alumnus who, according to the press statement, "exemplifies the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions."

    Mark Leen enjoyed a long wrestling career which he launched as head coach at Shawnee High School in Oklahoma from 1979-86, then moving on to the collegiate ranks, first at Garden City Community College in Kansas for nine seasons, then at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga for six seasons, taking home three straight Southern Conference championships before entering private business in 2001. Mark Leen is the father of Jordan Leen, NCAA champ for Cornell University who is now coaching at the University of Virginia.

    The Class of 2015 honorees will be welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Oklahoma Chapter at the organization's annual ceremony on Sunday, Oct. 11 at the Jim Thorpe Museum in Oklahoma City.
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