NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1963 NCAA Championships

123 lb

Champion Mike Nissen, Nebraska.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Mike NissenNEB
  2. 2Mike JohnsonPITT
  3. 3Mark McCrackenOKST
  4. 4Fred PowellLH
  5. 5Gary JosephOHST
  6. 6Don NeffUNCO

In 1963, a wrestler wrestled back only if the man who beat him reached the final, and places were awarded through sixth, so the consolation bracket is shorter than a modern one. Every bout the tournament recorded is drawn here.

Connected 1963 123-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

26 byes into the round of 32

    Round of 32 · 10 bouts

    6 byes into the round of 16

    1. Albert Tapia, Oklahoma over Don Pike, Rutgers (NJ) — Dec 4–0 · View bout
    2. Claude Gonzales, Colorado State over Ralph Bahna, Michigan — Dec 5–4 · View bout
    3. Dave Unruh, Kansas State over James Schonauer, Hiram (OH) — Dec 4–0 · View bout
    4. Don Neff, Northern Colorado over Jules Balon, Springfield (MA) — Dec 7–4 · View bout
    5. Fred Crawford, Navy (MD) over Douglas Drake, Rochester Tech (NY) — Dflt · View bout
    6. Gary Joseph (5), Ohio State over Terry Haise, Syracuse (NY) — Dflt · View bout
    7. Gary Smith, Michigan State over Roger Sebert, Iowa State — Dec 6–4 · View bout
    8. Jim Gautz, Wyoming over Ron Maunder, Maryland — Dec 7–0 · View bout
    9. Mark McCracken (1), Oklahoma State over Arnold Saferstein, Miami (OH) — Dec 9–0 · View bout
    10. Mike Nissen (2), Nebraska over Bill Fuller, Iowa — Dec 5–0 · View bout

    Round of 16 · 8 bouts

    1. Albert Tapia, Oklahoma over Terry Finn, Southern Illinois Carbondale — Dec 4–0 · View bout
    2. Bill Merriam (3), Lehigh (PA) over Claude Gonzales, Colorado State — Dec 3–2 · View bout
    3. Dave Unruh, Kansas State over Joel Melitski, Bloomsburg (PA) — Dec 9–7 · View bout
    4. Fred Powell (6), Lock Haven (PA) over Fred Crawford, Navy (MD) — Dec 6–4 · View bout
    5. Gary Joseph (5), Ohio State over John Elter, Purdue (IN) — Dec 7–1 · View bout
    6. Mark McCracken (1), Oklahoma State over Gary Smith, Michigan State — Dec 3–1 · View bout
    7. Mike Johnson (4), Pittsburgh (PA) over Jim Gautz, Wyoming — Dec 6–4 · View bout
    8. Mike Nissen (2), Nebraska over Don Neff, Northern Colorado — Dec 7–4 · View bout

    Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

    1. Fred Powell (6), Lock Haven (PA) over Bill Merriam (3), Lehigh (PA) — Dec 2–0 · View bout
    2. Mark McCracken (1), Oklahoma State over Dave Unruh, Kansas State — Dec 6–5 · View bout
    3. Mike Johnson (4), Pittsburgh (PA) over Gary Joseph (5), Ohio State — Dec 7–3 · View bout
    4. Mike Nissen (2), Nebraska over Albert Tapia, Oklahoma — Dec 14–2 · View bout

    Semifinal · 2 bouts

    1. Mike Johnson (4), Pittsburgh (PA) over Mark McCracken (1), Oklahoma State — Dec 7–3 · View bout
    2. Mike Nissen (2), Nebraska over Fred Powell (6), Lock Haven (PA) — Dec 8–6 · View bout

    Final · 1 bout

    1. Mike Nissen (2), Nebraska over Mike Johnson (4), Pittsburgh (PA) — Fall 10:55 · View bout

    Consolation

    Consolation round 4 · 1 bout

    1 byes into the consolation round 5

    1. Don Neff, Northern Colorado over Bill Fuller, Iowa — Dec 3–1 · View bout

    Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

    1. Don Neff, Northern Colorado over Albert Tapia, Oklahoma — Dec 2–1 · View bout
    2. Gary Joseph (5), Ohio State over Jim Gautz, Wyoming — Dec 8–1 · View bout

    Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

    1. Fred Powell (6), Lock Haven (PA) over Don Neff, Northern Colorado — Dec 0–0 (tiebreaker) · View bout
    2. Mark McCracken (1), Oklahoma State over Gary Joseph (5), Ohio State — Dec 2–0 · View bout

    Placement bouts

    3rd-place bout · 1 bout

    1. Mark McCracken (1), Oklahoma State over Fred Powell (6), Lock Haven (PA) — Dec 2–0 · View bout

    5th-place bout · 1 bout

    1. Gary Joseph (5), Ohio State over Don Neff, Northern Colorado — Dec 4–3 · View bout