NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1981 NCAA Championships

Unlimited

Champion Lou Banach, Iowa.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Lou BanachIOWA
  2. 2Bruce BaumgartnerINST
  3. 3Steve WilliamsOU
  4. 4Dan SevernASU
  5. 5Ray WagnerKENT
  6. 6Steve SefterPSU
  7. 7Mike EvansLSU
  8. 8Mike HoweNMU

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 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 · 1 bout

31 byes into the round of 32

  1. Rick Chandler, Southern Oregon over JL Coon, Utah State — Dec 4–2 · View bout

Round of 32 · 16 bouts

  1. Brian Neal, Iowa State over Duane Koslowski, Minnesota-Morris — Dec 5–4 · View bout
  2. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Mike Holcomb, Miami (OH) — Dec 7–3 · View bout
  3. Chuck Pinta, Citadel (SC) over Pat Ryan, Navy (MD) — Sup 19–6 · View bout
  4. Dan Severn (2), Arizona State over Daryl Meyer, Nebraska — Fall 0:25 · View bout
  5. Don Wagner, Millersville (PA) over Craig Schoene, California-Bakersfield — MD 11–1 · View bout
  6. Eric Klasson (7), Michigan over Evins Brantley, Rhode Island — DQ · View bout
  7. Kenneth 'Rod' Chamberlain (12), Indiana (IN) over Tab Thacker, North Carolina State — Dec 7–0 · View bout
  8. Lou Banach (3), Iowa over Curt Olson, Clarion (PA) — Fall 1:38 · View bout
  9. Mike Evans (4), Louisiana State over Arnie Bagley, Idaho State — Dec 9–4 · View bout
  10. Mike Howe (11), Northern Michigan over John Kriebs, Northern Iowa — Dec 13–7 · View bout
  11. Mike Rotunda (10), Syracuse (NY) over Sean Isgan, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (PA) — Sup 21–9 · View bout
  12. Paul Ruggiero, Delaware over Larry Cox, Temple (PA) — Dec 10–4 · View bout
  13. Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) over Rick Chandler, Southern Oregon — Fall 4:13 · View bout
  14. Rick Romeo, Missouri over Dan Cook (9), Oregon — Dec 9–8 · View bout
  15. Steve Sefter (6), Penn State over Paul Spieler, California-Poly — Fall 7:30 · View bout
  16. Steve Williams (5), Oklahoma over Jeff Green, Kentucky — MD 15–7 · View bout

Round of 16 · 8 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Kenneth 'Rod' Chamberlain (12), Indiana (IN) — Sup 21–4 · View bout
  2. Dan Severn (2), Arizona State over Mike Howe (11), Northern Michigan — MD 12–3 · View bout
  3. Eric Klasson (7), Michigan over Don Wagner, Millersville (PA) — Dec 6–1 · View bout
  4. Lou Banach (3), Iowa over Mike Rotunda (10), Syracuse (NY) — Sup 24–6 · View bout
  5. Mike Evans (4), Louisiana State over Rick Romeo, Missouri — Dec 9–7 · View bout
  6. Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) over Chuck Pinta, Citadel (SC) — Fall 1:04 · View bout
  7. Steve Sefter (6), Penn State over Paul Ruggiero, Delaware — Dec 6–2 · View bout
  8. Steve Williams (5), Oklahoma over Brian Neal, Iowa State — Fall 0:25 · View bout

Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) — Dec 7–4 · View bout
  2. Dan Severn (2), Arizona State over Eric Klasson (7), Michigan — MD 15–7 · View bout
  3. Lou Banach (3), Iowa over Steve Sefter (6), Penn State — Dec 12–5 · View bout
  4. Steve Williams (5), Oklahoma over Mike Evans (4), Louisiana State — DQ · View bout

Semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Steve Williams (5), Oklahoma — Fall 1:32 · View bout
  2. Lou Banach (3), Iowa over Dan Severn (2), Arizona State — MD 20–10 · View bout

Final · 1 bout

  1. Lou Banach (3), Iowa over Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State — Fall 5:45 · View bout

Consolation

Consolation round 3 · 4 bouts

  1. Curt Olson, Clarion (PA) over Mike Rotunda (10), Syracuse (NY) — Dec 5–2 · View bout
  2. Jeff Green, Kentucky over Brian Neal, Iowa State — Dec 2–1 · View bout
  3. Mike Holcomb, Miami (OH) over Kenneth 'Rod' Chamberlain (12), Indiana (IN) — Dec 4–1 · View bout
  4. Mike Howe (11), Northern Michigan over Daryl Meyer, Nebraska — MD 9–1 · View bout

Consolation round 4 · 4 bouts

  1. Mike Evans (4), Louisiana State over Jeff Green, Kentucky — Fall 5:39 · View bout
  2. Mike Howe (11), Northern Michigan over Eric Klasson (7), Michigan — Fall 5:58 · View bout
  3. Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) over Mike Holcomb, Miami (OH) — Dec 4–4 (tiebreaker) · View bout
  4. Steve Sefter (6), Penn State over Curt Olson, Clarion (PA) — Dec 8–2 · View bout

Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

  1. Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) over Mike Evans (4), Louisiana State — Dec 5–3 · View bout
  2. Steve Sefter (6), Penn State over Mike Howe (11), Northern Michigan — Dec 6–5 · View bout

Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Dan Severn (2), Arizona State over Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) — Fall 1:08 · View bout
  2. Steve Williams (5), Oklahoma over Steve Sefter (6), Penn State — Dec 6–4 · View bout

Placement bouts

3rd-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Steve Williams (5), Oklahoma over Dan Severn (2), Arizona State — Fall 3:40 · View bout

5th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Ray Wagner (8), Kent State (OH) over Steve Sefter (6), Penn State — Fall 4:51 · View bout

7th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Mike Evans (4), Louisiana State over Mike Howe (11), Northern Michigan — Dec 4–2 · View bout