NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1981 NCAA Championships

126 lb

Champion Dan Cuestas, California-Bakersfield.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Dan CuestasCSUB
  2. 2Dave CookeUNC
  3. 3Jerry KellyOKST
  4. 4Ed PidgeonHOF
  5. 5John IannuzziWIS
  6. 6Gary LefebvreMINN
  7. 7Tim RileyIOWA
  8. 8Mark GalyanIND

In 1981, 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 1981 126-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

32 byes into the round of 32

    Round of 32 · 16 bouts

    1. Chris Bell, Wyoming over David Barnes, San Jose State (CA) — Fall 4:21 · View bout
    2. Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Gene Leonard, Kent State (OH) — Fall 4:53 · View bout
    3. Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) over Pat Souris, Nevada-Las Vegas — MD 12–3 · View bout
    4. Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Marty Nellis, California Poly Humboldt — Dec 12–6 · View bout
    5. Derek Glenn (1), Oklahoma over Jim Edwards, Louisiana State — Fall 3:35 · View bout
    6. Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) over Edwin Dilbeck, Weber State (UT) — Sup 16–3 · View bout
    7. Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Mark Hirota (12), Oregon State — Sup 23–8 · View bout
    8. Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over John Thorn, Iowa State — Dec 8–7 · View bout
    9. Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Doug Tredway, Northern Iowa — Fall 7:15 · View bout
    10. John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Dom Macchia, Rhode Island — Dec 12–7 · View bout
    11. John Warlick, Clemson (SC) over Tom Husted (6), Lehigh (PA) — Dec 13–11 · View bout
    12. Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) over Mike Schmidt, Tennessee — MD 19–10 · View bout
    13. Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) over David Harris, Missouri — Dec 8–5 · View bout
    14. Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) over Floyd Dotter, Citadel (SC) — Sup 14–2 · View bout
    15. Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Steve Fontana, Long Island Post (NY) — MD 12–3 · View bout
    16. Tony Leonino (7), Auburn (AL) over Tom Diamond, Clarion (PA) — Dec 5–3 · View bout

    Round of 16 · 8 bouts

    1. Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) — Fall 3:04 · View bout
    2. Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) over Tony Leonino (7), Auburn (AL) — Dec 2–1 · View bout
    3. Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) — Fall 7:33 · View bout
    4. Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) over John Warlick, Clemson (SC) — MD 13–3 · View bout
    5. Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Derek Glenn (1), Oklahoma — Dec 9–8 · View bout
    6. Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) — Fall 3:13 · View bout
    7. John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota — Dec 9–3 · View bout
    8. Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Chris Bell, Wyoming — MD 16–7 · View bout

    Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

    1. Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) — Fall 1:50 · View bout
    2. Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) — Fall 6:38 · View bout
    3. Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Tim Riley (5), Iowa — Dec 6–5 · View bout
    4. John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) — Dec 2–2 (tiebreaker) · View bout

    Semifinal · 2 bouts

    1. Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin — MD 10–2 · View bout
    2. Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State — Dec 6–4 · View bout

    Final · 1 bout

    1. Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina — Dec 7–5 · View bout

    Consolation

    Consolation round 3 · 4 bouts

    1. Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over Dom Macchia, Rhode Island — Dec 6–2 · View bout
    2. Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) over Gene Leonard, Kent State (OH) — Dec 12–5 · View bout
    3. Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) over Doug Tredway, Northern Iowa — MD 13–2 · View bout
    4. Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) over Marty Nellis, California Poly Humboldt — Dec 8–5 · View bout

    Consolation round 4 · 4 bouts

    1. Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) — Dec 17–10 · View bout
    2. Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) — Dec 5–3 · View bout
    3. Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) over Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) — Dec 11–5 · View bout
    4. Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) — Dec 11–9 · View bout

    Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

    1. Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Tim Riley (5), Iowa — Dec 2–1 · View bout
    2. Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) — Dec 12–6 · View bout

    Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

    1. Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin — Dec 4–3 · View bout
    2. Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota — Fall 4:52 · View bout

    Placement bouts

    3rd-place bout · 1 bout

    1. Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) — Fall 4:54 · View bout

    5th-place bout · 1 bout

    1. John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota — Dec 4–3 · View bout

    7th-place bout · 1 bout

    1. Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) — Fall 5:53 · View bout