William J. Nelson

By school

As a wrestler

Bill Nelson wrestled for Northern Iowa at four NCAA championships, 1947–1950, and went 15–2. Nelson won three titles, at 165 lb in 1947, and at 155 lb in 1949 and 1950.

Bill Nelson's full wrestler record, every bout →

Coach and wrestler matched from William J. Nelson (Bill), National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum (Biography, first two paragraphs, from "In the golden era of wrestling at the University of Northern Iowa" through "the NCAA's only four-time champion.").

How these are counted

• NCAA tournaments are the championship years in which William J. Nelson was the established head coach of a team with entrants. They are not years of employment; there were no championships in 1943–45 or 2020.
• A year inside the span with no established coach is listed but not counted. A year with two head coaches counts in full for both.
• Team titles are official NCAA titles from the published standings (1928, 1931 and 1933 have none). Top four and top ten come from the same standings.
• Entries count each wrestler once per tournament; All-Americans are counted as each era awarded them; wins and losses include forfeit, default and disqualification results; falls exclude forfeits.
• The head coach for each year, with sources, is on that year's program page. Report a correction.