All-Americans 1928 - 2022

[Wrestleknownothing]

Disclaimer: All numbers are subject to change as I find errors that I am sure are there. I have spent a fair amount of time on error detection, but the odds I got the all are plus or minus zero.

From 1928 thru 2022 there have been 3,274 wrestlers who have earned All-American status. In total they have earned 5,509 honors.

AA Trivia:

• In 92 NCAA tournaments there have only been two wrestlers named Brad Smith to All-American.... And they were in the same bracket. In 1976 Iowa's Brad Smith won the 142 lb. title while Toledo's Brad Smith took fourth at the weight. It is is shame they weren't both in the final. Would have been tough on the announcers, but fun for me.
• The biggest spread between All-Americans earned by a single wrestler is eight years. In 1950 Frank Altman took third at 121 for Northern Iowa (Iowa State Teachers College). After serving in the Air Force for four years he returned to college at Iowa State and took 4th at 115 in 1958. Pretty remarkable. 

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/globegazette/name/frank-altman-obituary?pid=199769884

(More trivia to come, but have to run)

[gimpeltf]

Not as long but as far as we knew- no military intervention- Bob Holland 2nd ISU 1974, 4th EIU 1979.
Both events at ISU.

[Ponzi]

1 hour ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

Disclaimer: All numbers are subject to change as I find errors that I am sure are there. I have spent a fair amount of time on error detection, but the odds I got the all are plus or minus zero.

From 1928 thru 2022 there have been 3,274 wrestlers who have earned All-American status. In total they have earned 5,509 honors.

AA Trivia:

• In 92 NCAA tournaments there have only been two wrestlers named Brad Smith to All-American.... And they were in the same bracket. In 1976 Iowa's Brad Smith won the 142 lb. title while Toledo's Brad Smith took fourth at the weight. It is is shame they weren't both in the final. Would have been tough on the announcers, but fun for me.
• The biggest spread between All-Americans earned by a single wrestler is eight years. In 1950 Frank Altman took third at 121 for Northern Iowa (Iowa State Teachers College). After serving in the Air Force for four years he returned to college at Iowa State and took 4th at 115 in 1958. Pretty remarkable. 

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/globegazette/name/frank-altman-obituary?pid=199769884

(More trivia to come, but have to run)

That's because most guys named "Brad Smith" change their names after everybody assumes it's a fake name. Frank Molinaro and Dustin Kilgore were both named Brad Smith at birth and both changed their names, coincidentally at age 13. True story.

[Wrestleknownothing]

Just now, Ponzi said:

That's because most guys named "Brad Smith" change their names after everybody assumes it's a fake name. Frank Molinaro and Dustin Kilgore were both named Brad Smith at birth and both changed their names, coincidentally at age 13. True story.

Hmmm. The name is Ponzi, and you are making bold statements. Ok, checks out. I believe you.

[Ponzi]

2 minutes ago, Wrestleknownothing said:

Hmmm. The name is Ponzi, and you are making bold statements. Ok, checks out. I believe you.

Anyway, do you have a better explanation? How many of your 3,274 AAs had the same name as another AA where the name is less fake than "Brad Smith"?

[ionel]

There will never be a second Wrestleknownothing!  

PS:  not that anythings wrong with that     

Edited January 19, 2023 by ionel

[Wrestleknownothing]

2 hours ago, Ponzi said:

Anyway, do you have a better explanation? How many of your 3,274 AAs had the same name as another AA where the name is less fake than "Brad Smith"?

Tom Titsworth, 2nd place 157 lbs in 1952 has to be an alias, right?

[Wrestleknownothing]

[Wrestleknownothing]

[Wrestleknownothing]

13 hours ago, Ponzi said:

Anyway, do you have a better explanation? How many of your 3,274 AAs had the same name as another AA where the name is less fake than "Brad Smith"?

At least one. John Smith.

There are 11 pairs in total. I assume many of these are father son pairs.

[Wrestleknownothing]

Twice as Nice:

• There have been 55 wrestlers who have AAed for two schools.
• The first to do that was Elias George who finished 3rd at 136 in 1946 for Indiana and 4th at 145 in 1949 for Oklahoma State.
• Ten four (five) time AA’s did it at two schools: Sebastian Rivera (5), Tyler Caldwell, Steve Mocco, Nick Gwiazdowski, Kevin Jackson, Joe Melchiore, Jaydin Eierman, Evan Wick, Cary Kolat, and Andrew Howe.