NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1968 NCAA Championships

167 lb

Champion Mike Gallego, Fresno State (CA).Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Mike GallegoFS
  2. 2Lamoin MerkleyCWU
  3. 3Jason SmithISU
  4. 4Bob DrebenstedtOKST
  5. 5Pete CornellMICH
  6. 6Rod OttMSU

In 1968, 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 1968 167-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 · 4 bouts

28 byes into the round of 32

  1. Bob Rust, Syracuse (NY) over Santo Ricotta Jr., Clarion (PA) — Dec 5–4 · View bout
  2. Dick Heinzelman, Wisconsin over Dewey 'Scott' Curzi, William & Mary (VA) — Dec 14–6 · View bout
  3. Don Apodaca, Adams State (CO) over Rick Ortega, New Mexico — Dec 9–0 · View bout
  4. Gene Denisar, Indiana (IN) over Bob Funk, Penn State — Fall 3:38 · View bout

Round of 32 · 16 bouts

  1. Ben Cooper, Southern Illinois Carbondale over Joe O'Donnell, Tennessee — Dec 11–0 · View bout
  2. Bob 'Bud' McDaniel, Oklahoma over George Ross, Bowling Green (OH) — Dec 17–2 · View bout
  3. Bob Ahrens, Navy (MD) over John Dinger, Army (NY) — Dec 8–3 · View bout
  4. Bob Drebenstedt (3), Oklahoma State over Don Apodaca, Adams State (CO) — Dec 8–6 · View bout
  5. Dick Heinzelman, Wisconsin over Dale French, Northern Colorado — Fall 3:24 · View bout
  6. Gene Denisar, Indiana (IN) over Billy Elder, East Stroudsburg (PA) — Dec 7–6 · View bout
  7. Jason Smith (4), Iowa State over John McNitt, South Dakota State — Dec 6–2 · View bout
  8. Jim Vandehay, Oregon State over Bob Rust, Syracuse (NY) — MFF · View bout
  9. Lamoin Merkley (2), Central Washington over Rod Ott, Michigan State — Dec 6–1 · View bout
  10. Mike Gallego (1), Fresno State (CA) over Barry Ritchey, Shippensburg (PA) — Fall 4:47 · View bout
  11. Pete Cornell, Michigan over Ben Harry, North Carolina State — Fall 7:22 · View bout
  12. Ray Wallace, Washington (WA) over Walt Price Jr., Massachusetts Tech — Dec 10–2 · View bout
  13. Russ Sill (6), Iowa over John Woods, California-Poly — Dec 7–2 · View bout
  14. Seth Norton, Northwestern (IL) over Al Nicusanti Jr., Lehigh (PA) — Dec 7–3 · View bout
  15. Steve Roshek, Utah over Don Ryland, Minnesota-Mankato — Dec 18–4 · View bout
  16. Tom McEwan (5), Yale (CT) over Lowell 'Gary' Hebenstreit, Air Force (CO) — Fall 6:15 · View bout

Round of 16 · 8 bouts

  1. Bob 'Bud' McDaniel, Oklahoma over Ben Cooper, Southern Illinois Carbondale — Dec 8–1 · View bout
  2. Bob Drebenstedt (3), Oklahoma State over Bob Ahrens, Navy (MD) — Dec 5–2 · View bout
  3. Jason Smith (4), Iowa State over Jim Vandehay, Oregon State — Dec 8–3 · View bout
  4. Lamoin Merkley (2), Central Washington over Dick Heinzelman, Wisconsin — Fall 5:24 · View bout
  5. Mike Gallego (1), Fresno State (CA) over Steve Roshek, Utah — Dec 7–2 · View bout
  6. Pete Cornell, Michigan over Gene Denisar, Indiana (IN) — Dec 9–1 · View bout
  7. Ray Wallace, Washington (WA) over Russ Sill (6), Iowa — Fall 6:04 · View bout
  8. Seth Norton, Northwestern (IL) over Tom McEwan (5), Yale (CT) — Dec 10–8 · View bout

Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

  1. Bob Drebenstedt (3), Oklahoma State over Ray Wallace, Washington (WA) — Dec 11–6 · View bout
  2. Jason Smith (4), Iowa State over Seth Norton, Northwestern (IL) — Dec 7–1 · View bout
  3. Lamoin Merkley (2), Central Washington over Bob 'Bud' McDaniel, Oklahoma — Dec 5–0 · View bout
  4. Mike Gallego (1), Fresno State (CA) over Pete Cornell, Michigan — Fall 4:59 · View bout

Semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Lamoin Merkley (2), Central Washington over Bob Drebenstedt (3), Oklahoma State — Dec 4–2 · View bout
  2. Mike Gallego (1), Fresno State (CA) over Jason Smith (4), Iowa State — Dec 3–2 · View bout

Final · 1 bout

  1. Mike Gallego (1), Fresno State (CA) over Lamoin Merkley (2), Central Washington — Dec 4–2 · View bout

Consolation

Consolation round 4 · 2 bouts

  1. Rod Ott, Michigan State over Dick Heinzelman, Wisconsin — MFF · View bout
  2. Steve Roshek, Utah over Barry Ritchey, Shippensburg (PA) — Fall 5:22 · View bout

Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

  1. Pete Cornell, Michigan over Steve Roshek, Utah — Dec 6–2 · View bout
  2. Rod Ott, Michigan State over Bob 'Bud' McDaniel, Oklahoma — Dec 1–0 · View bout

Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Bob Drebenstedt (3), Oklahoma State over Rod Ott, Michigan State — Dec 2–0 · View bout
  2. Jason Smith (4), Iowa State over Pete Cornell, Michigan — Fall 4:55 · View bout

Placement bouts

3rd-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Jason Smith (4), Iowa State over Bob Drebenstedt (3), Oklahoma State — Dec 4–4 (tiebreaker) · View bout

5th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Pete Cornell, Michigan over Rod Ott, Michigan State — Dec 6–2 · View bout