NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1982 NCAA Championships

Unlimited

Champion Bruce Baumgartner, Indiana State.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Bruce BaumgartnerINST
  2. 2Steve WilliamsOU
  3. 3Lou BanachIOWA
  4. 4Joe 'Wayne' ColeISU
  5. 5Mike HolcombMIOH
  6. 6Mark RigatusoOMAH
  7. 7Gary AlbrightNEB
  8. 8Tab ThackerNCST

In 1982, 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 1982 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 · 2 bouts

30 byes into the round of 32

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Arnie Bagley, Idaho State — MD 9–1 · View bout
  2. Rick Romeo, Missouri over Bill Paxton, Indiana (IN) — Fall 3:30 · View bout

Round of 32 · 16 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Mike Severn, Arizona State — Sup 21–2 · View bout
  2. Chris Bielenberg, Oregon State over Chuck Pinta, Citadel (SC) — Dec 3–2 · View bout
  3. Dan Cook (10), Oregon over Bill Sabo, Old Dominion (VA) — Dec 5–1 · View bout
  4. Dennis Koslowski, Minnesota-Morris over John Dougherty (7), Syracuse (NY) — Dec 7–6 · View bout
  5. Eric Neily, Ohio State over Rick Romeo, Missouri — Dec 5–4 · View bout
  6. Gary Albright (9), Nebraska over Casey Gulliford, San Jose State (CA) — Fall 4:05 · View bout
  7. Jim Phills, Harvard (MA) over Ray Wagner (6), Kent State (OH) — Fall 1:48 · View bout
  8. John Kriebs (12), Northern Iowa over Johnny Bradford, Tennessee — Fall 1:11 · View bout
  9. Lou Banach (2), Iowa over George Fears, Navy (MD) — Dec 18–14 · View bout
  10. Mark Rigatuso, Nebraska Omaha over Tom Sheridan, Boston College (MA) — Fall 2:30 · View bout
  11. Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) over Jerome Larson, North Dakota — Fall 1:58 · View bout
  12. Mitch Shelton, Oklahoma State over Eric Klasson (5), Michigan — Dec 4–4 (tiebreaker) · View bout
  13. Steve Sefter (4), Penn State over Curt Olson, Clarion (PA) — MD 11–2 · View bout
  14. Steve Williams (3), Oklahoma over Joe 'Wayne' Cole, Iowa State — Dec 4–2 · View bout
  15. Tab Thacker (11), North Carolina State over Larry Hamilton, Brigham Young (UT) — Fall 1:07 · View bout
  16. Tim Pangonas, Bucknell (PA) over Paul Maltagliati, George Mason (VA) — Dec 4–3 · View bout

Round of 16 · 8 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over John Kriebs (12), Northern Iowa — MD 10–2 · View bout
  2. Eric Neily, Ohio State over Dennis Koslowski, Minnesota-Morris — Sup 15–2 · View bout
  3. Gary Albright (9), Nebraska over Steve Sefter (4), Penn State — Fall 4:57 · View bout
  4. Jim Phills, Harvard (MA) over Chris Bielenberg, Oregon State — Fall 0:42 · View bout
  5. Lou Banach (2), Iowa over Tab Thacker (11), North Carolina State — Fall 2:08 · View bout
  6. Mark Rigatuso, Nebraska Omaha over Mitch Shelton, Oklahoma State — Dec 6–2 · View bout
  7. Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) over Tim Pangonas, Bucknell (PA) — Sup 19–0 · View bout
  8. Steve Williams (3), Oklahoma over Dan Cook (10), Oregon — Dec 5–3 · View bout

Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) — Dec 7–1 · View bout
  2. Lou Banach (2), Iowa over Eric Neily, Ohio State — MD 12–4 · View bout
  3. Mark Rigatuso, Nebraska Omaha over Gary Albright (9), Nebraska — Dec 4–2 · View bout
  4. Steve Williams (3), Oklahoma over Jim Phills, Harvard (MA) — Dec 8–3 · View bout

Semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Mark Rigatuso, Nebraska Omaha — Fall 2:21 · View bout
  2. Steve Williams (3), Oklahoma over Lou Banach (2), Iowa — Dec 7–4 · View bout

Final · 1 bout

  1. Bruce Baumgartner (1), Indiana State over Steve Williams (3), Oklahoma — Dec 4–2 · View bout

Consolation

Consolation round 2 · 1 bout

  1. Arnie Bagley, Idaho State over Mike Severn, Arizona State — Dec 8–5 · View bout

Consolation round 3 · 4 bouts

  1. Joe 'Wayne' Cole, Iowa State over Dan Cook (10), Oregon — Dec 10–5 · View bout
  2. John Kriebs (12), Northern Iowa over Arnie Bagley, Idaho State — Dec 5–0 · View bout
  3. Mitch Shelton, Oklahoma State over Tom Sheridan, Boston College (MA) — Fall 2:46 · View bout
  4. Tab Thacker (11), North Carolina State over George Fears, Navy (MD) — Fall 1:55 · View bout

Consolation round 4 · 4 bouts

  1. Gary Albright (9), Nebraska over Mitch Shelton, Oklahoma State — Fall 3:39 · View bout
  2. Joe 'Wayne' Cole, Iowa State over Jim Phills, Harvard (MA) — MD 10–2 · View bout
  3. Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) over John Kriebs (12), Northern Iowa — Dec 5–1 · View bout
  4. Tab Thacker (11), North Carolina State over Eric Neily, Ohio State — Fall 3:43 · View bout

Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

  1. Joe 'Wayne' Cole, Iowa State over Tab Thacker (11), North Carolina State — Dec 3–2 · View bout
  2. Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) over Gary Albright (9), Nebraska — Dec 7–4 · View bout

Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

  1. Joe 'Wayne' Cole, Iowa State over Mark Rigatuso, Nebraska Omaha — Dec 10–6 · View bout
  2. Lou Banach (2), Iowa over Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) — Dec 6–2 · View bout

Placement bouts

3rd-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Lou Banach (2), Iowa over Joe 'Wayne' Cole, Iowa State — Dec 11–10 · View bout

5th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Mike Holcomb (8), Miami (OH) over Mark Rigatuso, Nebraska Omaha — Dec 7–3 · View bout

7th-place bout · 1 bout

  1. Gary Albright (9), Nebraska over Tab Thacker (11), North Carolina State — Fall 3:10 · View bout