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Former Iowa State wrestling coach and Hall of Famer Bobby Douglas dies at 83
Douglas was a 2-time Olympian and world medalist as a competitor; Won an NCAA title with Arizona State, led Iowa State wrestling program from 1993-2006
Feb. 24, 2026 9:00 pm, Updated: Feb. 24, 2026 10:03 pm
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Bobby Douglas made an indelible impact on wrestling.
As a competitor and a coach, Douglas was a successful pioneer and ambassador of the sport, serving as Iowa State’s head coach from 1993-2006 and coaching undefeated four-time NCAA champion Cael Sanderson to a 159-0 record.
USA Wrestling and Iowa State were among the organization’s that announced that Douglas had died Monday at the age of 83. The Hall of Famer was the first black American to wrestle in the Olympics and the first black coach of a major NCAA Division I program.
Douglas and his wife, Jackie, had one son, Bobby Jr.
Douglas accomplished numerous accolades on the mat and as a coach, earning USA Wrestling Man of the Year honors in 1992. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame, Ohio Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame, and the Halls of Fame at Iowa State, Arizona State and West Liberty State (W.Va.).
During his tenure at Iowa State, Douglas coached 52 All-Americans, 10 individual NCAA champions, three NCAA runner-up finishes. Among the individuals were Sanderson, who replaced Douglas as Cyclone head coach before building a dynasty with Penn State, national champion and Wisconsin Coach Chris Bono, four-time national medalists Dwight Hinson and Joe Heskett.
He amassed 198 dual victories, which is second to Dr. Harold Nichols on the program’s all-time wins list and was inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.
Douglas led the Cyclones to seven top-six finishes, including runner-up performances in 1996, 2000 and 2002.
The Cyclones won the National Duals title in 1999-2000 and posted a 20-2 dual record that season. Iowa State crowned three individual titlists in 2002 – Aaron Holker (141), Heskett (165) and Sanderson, who won Outstanding Wrestler honors at 197.
Douglas was named conference Coach of the Year in 1993 (Big 8) and 2000 (Big 12), National Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2000 and the 2004 USA Wrestling Freestyle Coach of the Year.
Before his time in Ames, Douglas coached the Sun Devils to the 1988 NCAA team title. Coincidentally, the national title was won at Hilton Coliseum, where he later coached. Douglas was one of only four NCAA coaches to win more than 400 career duals.
Douglas also guided the U.S. Olympic team in 1992 and was an assistant for Team USA in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988 and 2004. He helped former Cyclone All-American and coach Kevin Jackson and Sanderson to gold medals. He was also the head coach of the 1989 and 1991 U.S. World Teams.
Douglas, a two-time state champion from Bridgeport, Ohio, wrestled at West Liberty State before closing his collegiate career at Oklahoma State.
As an athlete, Douglas wrestled in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and was captain of the 1968 team in Mexico City. He was a six-time World team member in Greco-Roman and freestyle, earning silver in 1966 and bronze in 1970 in freestyle. Douglas was a NAIA national champion and NCAA runner-up for West Liberty State. He was the Big 8 champion after he joined the Cowboys.
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