The Last 10 Years Of Conference Champs
The Last 10 Years Of Conference Champs
The last 10 years worth of team champs in every conference
Summer is a great time to look back on college wrestling seasons gone by. Not just on the national level, but it can be fun to take a look at conference results, too.
Below are the last ten years of team conference champs. We even included the now defunct Western Wrestling Conference, Colonial Athletic Association and Eastern Regional.
Commentary: Two teams dominated this period, Maryland at the beginning and Virginia Tech at the end. Santoro has since moved on to Lehigh, while Kevin Dresser is now at Iowa State. The conference itself has changed as well, with Maryland leaving for the Big Ten and Pittsburgh replacing them.
Commentary: This list almost doubles as the last ten years of NCAA champs. The Big Ten remains the unquestioned best conference in the country.
Commentary: Quite a run by coaches with the last name Smith. Nebraska and Cael Sanderson may be gone to the Big Ten, but with the Big 12 moving to a full dozen teams in a few years, the conference may be the only possible challenger to the B1G.
Commentary: Cornell's run actually extends back one more year, but this is unquestionably the longest stretch of dominance for any one team in any conference.
Commentary: People forget that Pitt used to be in the EWL. Besides a run at the end of Stottlemyer's career, this conference has been dominated by Tim Flynn and the Fighting Scots.
Commentary: Pretty clear shift in power here, starting with CMU and ending with Mizzou. With Northern Iowa heading to the Big 12, it doesn't look like anyone will be challenging either of these teams any time soon.
Commentary: Man, this one is tough to see in the wake of Boise's axing. However, it is good to see some new blood in ASU, and of course we have to recognize the string of dominance by coach Zalesky and the Beavers.
Commentary: Within the scope of conferences, this one might be the most interesting right now. Kolat and Bentley recently received extensions, not to mention Campbell's coming facilities upgrade. Also, RIP UNCG.
Commentary: Now we start getting to the sad part of the list. The WWC may be gone, but not forgotten as it was merely absorbed by the Big 12. They even managed to get a conference champ this year in Seth Gross.
Commentary: Another group of teams that was absorbed elsewhere. Hofstra closed out the conference's existence with an extended reign.
Commentary: One can only hope we gain enough teams back to bring back a conference like this.
Below are the last ten years of team conference champs. We even included the now defunct Western Wrestling Conference, Colonial Athletic Association and Eastern Regional.
ACC Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | ACC | Virginia Tech | Tony Robie |
| 2016 | ACC | NC State | Pat Popolizio |
| 2015 | ACC | Virginia | Steve Garland |
| 2014 | ACC | Virginia Tech | Kevin Dresser |
| 2013 | ACC | Virginia Tech | Kevin Dresser |
| 2012 | ACC | Maryland | Kerry McCoy |
| 2011 | ACC | Maryland | Kerry McCoy |
| 2010 | ACC | Virginia | Steve Garland |
| 2009 | ACC | Maryland | Kerry McCoy |
| 2008 | ACC | Maryland | Pat Santoro |
Commentary: Two teams dominated this period, Maryland at the beginning and Virginia Tech at the end. Santoro has since moved on to Lehigh, while Kevin Dresser is now at Iowa State. The conference itself has changed as well, with Maryland leaving for the Big Ten and Pittsburgh replacing them.
Big Ten Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Big Ten | Ohio St | Tom Ryan |
| 2016 | Big Ten | Penn St | Cael Sanderson |
| 2015 | Big Ten | Ohio St/Iowa | Tom Ryan/Tom Brands |
| 2014 | Big Ten | Penn St | Cael Sanderson |
| 2013 | Big Ten | Penn St | Cael Sanderson |
| 2012 | Big Ten | Penn St | Cael Sanderson |
| 2011 | Big Ten | Penn St | Cael Sanderson |
| 2010 | Big Ten | Iowa | Tom Brands |
| 2009 | Big Ten | Iowa | Tom Brands |
| 2008 | Big Ten | Iowa | Tom Brands |
Commentary: This list almost doubles as the last ten years of NCAA champs. The Big Ten remains the unquestioned best conference in the country.
Big 12 Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2016 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2015 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2014 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2013 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2012 | Big 12 | Missouri | Brian Smith |
| 2011 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2010 | Big 12 | Oklahoma St | John Smith |
| 2009 | Big 12 | Nebraska/Iowa St | Mark Manning/Cael Sanderson |
| 2008 | Big 12 | Iowa St | Cael Sanderson |
Commentary: Quite a run by coaches with the last name Smith. Nebraska and Cael Sanderson may be gone to the Big Ten, but with the Big 12 moving to a full dozen teams in a few years, the conference may be the only possible challenger to the B1G.
EIWA Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2016 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2015 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2014 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2013 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2012 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2011 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2010 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2009 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
| 2008 | EIWA | Cornell | Rob Koll |
Commentary: Cornell's run actually extends back one more year, but this is unquestionably the longest stretch of dominance for any one team in any conference.
EWL Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | EWL | Edinboro | Tim Flynn |
| 2016 | EWL | Rider | Gary Taylor |
| 2015 | EWL | Edinboro | Tim Flynn |
| 2014 | EWL | Edinboro | Tim Flynn |
| 2013 | EWL | Pittsburgh | Rande Stottlemyer |
| 2012 | EWL | Pittsburgh | Rande Stottlemyer |
| 2011 | EWL | Pittsburgh | Rande Stottlemyer |
| 2010 | EWL | Edinboro | Tim Flynn |
| 2009 | EWL | Edinboro | Tim Flynn |
| 2008 | EWL | Edinboro | Tim Flynn |
Commentary: People forget that Pitt used to be in the EWL. Besides a run at the end of Stottlemyer's career, this conference has been dominated by Tim Flynn and the Fighting Scots.
MAC Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | MAC | Missouri | Brian Smith |
| 2016 | MAC | Missouri | Brian Smith |
| 2015 | MAC | Missouri | Brian Smith |
| 2014 | MAC | Missouri | Brian Smith |
| 2013 | MAC | Missouri | Brian Smith |
| 2012 | MAC | Central Michigan | Tom Borrelli |
| 2011 | MAC | Central Michigan | Tom Borrelli |
| 2010 | MAC | Central Michigan | Tom Borrelli |
| 2009 | MAC | Central Michigan | Tom Borrelli |
| 2008 | MAC | Central Michigan | Tom Borrelli |
Commentary: Pretty clear shift in power here, starting with CMU and ending with Mizzou. With Northern Iowa heading to the Big 12, it doesn't look like anyone will be challenging either of these teams any time soon.
Pac-12 Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Pac-12 | Arizona St | Zeke Jones |
| 2016 | Pac-12 | Oregon St | Jim Zalesky |
| 2015 | Pac-12 | Oregon St | Jim Zalesky |
| 2014 | Pac-12 | Oregon St | Jim Zalesky |
| 2013 | Pac-12 | Oregon St | Jim Zalesky |
| 2012 | Pac-12 | Oregon St | Jim Zalesky |
| 2011 | Pac-12 | Boise St | Greg Randall |
| 2010 | Pac-12 | Oregon St | Jim Zalesky |
| 2009 | Pac-12 | Boise St | Greg Randall |
| 2008 | Pac-12 | Boise St | Greg Randall |
Commentary: Man, this one is tough to see in the wake of Boise's axing. However, it is good to see some new blood in ASU, and of course we have to recognize the string of dominance by coach Zalesky and the Beavers.
SoCon Champs 2008-17
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | SoCon | Campbell | Cary Kolat |
| 2016 | SoCon | App St | John Mark Bentley |
| 2015 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Heath Eslinger |
| 2014 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Heath Eslinger |
| 2013 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Heath Eslinger |
| 2012 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Heath Eslinger |
| 2011 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Heath Eslinger |
| 2010 | SoCon | UNC Greensboro | Jason Loukides |
| 2009 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Chris Bono |
| 2008 | SoCon | UT Chattanooga | Chris Bono |
Commentary: Within the scope of conferences, this one might be the most interesting right now. Kolat and Bentley recently received extensions, not to mention Campbell's coming facilities upgrade. Also, RIP UNCG.
WWC Champs 2008-15
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | WWC | North Dakota St | Roger Kish |
| 2014 | WWC | North Dakota St | Roger Kish |
| 2013 | WWC | Wyoming | Mark Branch |
| 2012 | WWC | Wyoming | Mark Branch |
| 2011 | WWC | Wyoming | Mark Branch |
| 2010 | WWC | Wyoming | Mark Branch |
| 2009 | WWC | Northern Iowa | Brad Penrith |
| 2008 | WWC | Northern Iowa | Brad Penrith |
Commentary: Now we start getting to the sad part of the list. The WWC may be gone, but not forgotten as it was merely absorbed by the Big 12. They even managed to get a conference champ this year in Seth Gross.
CAA Champs 2008-13
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | CAA | Hofstra | Rob Anspach |
| 2012 | CAA | Hofstra | Rob Anspach |
| 2011 | CAA | Hofstra | Tom Shifflet |
| 2010 | CAA | Binghamton | Pat Popolizio |
| 2009 | CAA | Hofstra | Tom Shifflet |
| 2008 | CAA | Hofstra | Tom Shifflet |
Commentary: Another group of teams that was absorbed elsewhere. Hofstra closed out the conference's existence with an extended reign.
East Regional Champs 2008-11
| Year | Conference | School | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | East Regional | Liberty | Jesse Castro |
| 2010 | East Regional | Liberty | Jesse Castro |
| 2009 | East Regional | Liberty | Jesse Castro |
| 2008 | East Regional | Liberty | Jesse Castro |
Commentary: One can only hope we gain enough teams back to bring back a conference like this.