NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1979 NCAA Championships

150 lb

Champion Bruce Kinseth, Iowa.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Bruce KinsethIOWA
  2. 2Dick KnorrORST
  3. 3Tom CoffingARIZ
  4. 4Charles SheltonOKST
  5. 5Mike TerryWIS
  6. 6Larry KihlstadiusNAVY
  7. 7Charlie BiggertTOL
  8. 8Steve SuderWYO

In 1979, a wrestler wrestled back only if the man who beat him reached the semifinal, so the consolation bracket is shorter than a modern one. Every bout the tournament recorded is drawn here.

Connected 1979 150-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 · 2 bouts

30 byes into the round of 32

  1. Randy Fleury (10), California-Poly over Shawn Connors, Indiana (IN) — Fall 6:11 · View bout
  2. Robert Schandle (8), Minnesota over Paul Merritt, Missouri — Dec 7–4 · View bout

Round of 32 · 16 bouts

  1. Bruce Kinseth (1), Iowa over Tim Napier, Southern Illinois Edwardsville — Fall 4:23 · View bout
  2. Charles Shelton (4), Oklahoma State over Brian Surage, Rutgers (NJ) — Dec 8–4 · View bout
  3. Charlie Biggert, Toledo (OH) over Robert Schandle (8), Minnesota — Dec 10–5 · View bout
  4. Dick Knorr (3), Oregon State over Steve Peck, Nebraska — MD 13–4 · View bout
  5. Gary Wood, William Penn (IA) over Karl Bridge, Slippery Rock (PA) — Fall 4:04 · View bout
  6. Greg Drenik (11), Cleveland State (OH) over John Trice, Illinois State — Dec 12–5 · View bout
  7. Jack Garrison, Colorado State over Steve Greenly, Bucknell (PA) — MD 24–16 · View bout
  8. John Stallings (9), Auburn (AL) over Kevin Benson, Portland State (OR) — MD 13–5 · View bout
  9. Larry Kihlstadius (7), Navy (MD) over Scott Preston, Louisiana State — Dec 10–3 · View bout
  10. Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin over Tony Caravella, Bloomsburg (PA) — Fall 7:40 · View bout
  11. Randy Fleury (10), California-Poly over Allen Washington, Yale (CT) — MD 14–6 · View bout
  12. Robert McDowell (2), San Jose State (CA) over Dave Pacheco, Idaho State — Sup 17–4 · View bout
  13. Scott Bliss (5), Oregon over Mike Willner, Rhode Island — Fall 7:14 · View bout
  14. Scott Neitenbach, Colorado over Walt Fingar, Citadel (SC) — Sup 18–1 · View bout
  15. Steve Suder, Wyoming over Dave Juergens, North Carolina — Dec 4–2 · View bout
  16. Tom Coffing, Arizona over Scott Madigan (12), Minnesota-Mankato — Dec 11–5 · View bout

Round of 16 · 8 bouts

  1. Bruce Kinseth (1), Iowa over John Stallings (9), Auburn (AL) — Fall 7:02 · View bout
  2. Charles Shelton (4), Oklahoma State over Tom Coffing, Arizona — Sup 16–3 · View bout
  3. Charlie Biggert, Toledo (OH) over Jack Garrison, Colorado State — Sup 19–4 · View bout
  4. Dick Knorr (3), Oregon State over Greg Drenik (11), Cleveland State (OH) — DQ · View bout
  5. Larry Kihlstadius (7), Navy (MD) over Steve Suder, Wyoming — Dec 7–3 · View bout
  6. Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin over Gary Wood, William Penn (IA) — Sup 23–7 · View bout
  7. Randy Fleury (10), California-Poly over Robert McDowell (2), San Jose State (CA) — Dec 7–5 · View bout
  8. Scott Bliss (5), Oregon over Scott Neitenbach, Colorado — Dec 3–2 · View bout

Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

  1. Bruce Kinseth (1), Iowa over Charlie Biggert, Toledo (OH) — Fall 6:53 · View bout
  2. Charles Shelton (4), Oklahoma State over Scott Bliss (5), Oregon — Dec 7–6 · View bout
  3. Dick Knorr (3), Oregon State over Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin — Dec 10–5 · View bout
  4. Larry Kihlstadius (7), Navy (MD) over Randy Fleury (10), California-Poly — Dec 12–9 · View bout

Semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Bruce Kinseth (1), Iowa over Charles Shelton (4), Oklahoma State — Fall 1:51 · View bout
  2. Dick Knorr (3), Oregon State over Larry Kihlstadius (7), Navy (MD) — Dec 13–6 · View bout

Final · 1 bout

  1. Bruce Kinseth (1), Iowa over Dick Knorr (3), Oregon State — Fall 2:34 · View bout

Consolation

Consolation round 3 · 4 bouts

  1. Greg Drenik (11), Cleveland State (OH) over Steve Peck, Nebraska — Dec 10–3 · View bout
  2. John Stallings (9), Auburn (AL) over Tim Napier, Southern Illinois Edwardsville — Dec 9–6 · View bout
  3. Steve Suder, Wyoming over Scott Preston, Louisiana State — Dec 12–5 · View bout
  4. Tom Coffing, Arizona over Brian Surage, Rutgers (NJ) — Dec 4–1 · View bout

Consolation round 4 · 4 bouts

  1. Charlie Biggert, Toledo (OH) over John Stallings (9), Auburn (AL) — Dec 7–5 · View bout
  2. Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin over Greg Drenik (11), Cleveland State (OH) — MD 16–6 · View bout
  3. Steve Suder, Wyoming over Randy Fleury (10), California-Poly — Dec 12–8 · View bout
  4. Tom Coffing, Arizona over Scott Bliss (5), Oregon — Dec 10–8 · View bout

Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

  1. Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin over Steve Suder, Wyoming — MD 17–6 · View bout
  2. Tom Coffing, Arizona over Charlie Biggert, Toledo (OH) — Dec 8–6 · View bout

Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Charles Shelton (4), Oklahoma State over Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin — Dec 8–7 · View bout
  2. Tom Coffing, Arizona over Larry Kihlstadius (7), Navy (MD) — Dec 9–7 · View bout

Placement bouts

3rd-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Tom Coffing, Arizona over Charles Shelton (4), Oklahoma State — Dec 10–5 · View bout

5th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Mike Terry (6), Wisconsin over Larry Kihlstadius (7), Navy (MD) — Dec 9–6 · View bout

7th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Charlie Biggert, Toledo (OH) over Steve Suder, Wyoming — Fall 5:10 · View bout