NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1953 NCAA Championships

Unlimited

Champion Dan McNair, Auburn (AL).Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Dan McNairAUB
  2. 2Gene NicksOKST
  3. 3Eldred KraemerPITT
  4. 4Jack Ellena Sr.UCLA

In 1953, a wrestler wrestled back only if the man who beat him reached the final, and places were awarded through fourth, so the consolation bracket is shorter than a modern one. Every bout the tournament recorded is drawn here.

Connected 1953 Unlimited-pound bracket

Select a name to highlight their path; select it again to open the profile. Select a score for the bout.

How to read this bracket
  • Tap a name to follow that wrestler; tap it again to open their profile.
  • "Cons →" is where the loser continues in the consolation bracket; tap it to go there.
  • "↩" is where a wrestler arrived from the championship bracket.
  • The score opens the bout.
Final →Placements →

Championship

Consolation

Championship

Opening round · 0 bouts

11 byes into the round of 16

    Round of 16 · 3 bouts

    5 byes into the quarterfinal

    1. Ed Husmann (2), Nebraska over Dick Beyer, Syracuse (NY) — Dec 6–5 · View bout
    2. Henry Littlefield, Columbia (NY) over Willis Wood (4), Minnesota — Fall 8:28 · View bout
    3. Jack Ellena Sr., California-Los Angeles over Jack McNicol, Virginia Tech — Fall 5:35 · View bout

    Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

    1. Dan McNair, Auburn (AL) over Tom Megele, Hofstra (NY) — Dec 5–0 · View bout
    2. Ed Husmann (2), Nebraska over Bernard Lloyd, City College (NY) — Dec 15–5 · View bout
    3. Gene Nicks (1), Oklahoma State over Eldred Kraemer, Pittsburgh (PA) — Dec 6–1 · View bout
    4. Jack Ellena Sr., California-Los Angeles over Henry Littlefield, Columbia (NY) — Fall 0:40 · View bout

    Semifinal · 2 bouts

    1. Dan McNair, Auburn (AL) over Ed Husmann (2), Nebraska — Dec (no score) · View bout
    2. Gene Nicks (1), Oklahoma State over Jack Ellena Sr., California-Los Angeles — Fall 4:59 · View bout

    Final · 1 bout

    1. Dan McNair, Auburn (AL) over Gene Nicks (1), Oklahoma State — Dec 0–0 (tiebreaker) · View bout

    Consolation

    Consolation round 5 · 0 bouts

    2 byes into the consolation semifinal

      Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

      1. Eldred Kraemer, Pittsburgh (PA) over Ed Husmann (2), Nebraska — Dec 6–4 · View bout
      2. Jack Ellena Sr., California-Los Angeles over Tom Megele, Hofstra (NY) — Not recorded · View bout

      Placement bouts

      3rd-place bout · 1 bout

      1. Eldred Kraemer, Pittsburgh (PA) over Jack Ellena Sr., California-Los Angeles — Dec 4–3 · View bout