NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2026

1981 NCAA Championships

Unlimited lb

Champion Lou Banach, Iowa.Verified bracket Source bracket ↗

All-Americans

From the final and the 3rd, 5th, and 7th place bouts

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

Connected 1981 Unlimited-pound bracket

Tap a name to follow that wrestler

Key
  • 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.
Jump to finalJump to 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 · 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