Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion High School Congrats Chas Thompson NEW FHSU Head Coach

Richard,
Let's set the record straight and perhaps enlighten your trivia bank:
Eric Akin graduated from Iowa State University in 1994, the only post secondary institution he ever attended. He went there 5 years, redshirted the first year, and then competed 4. He is the only 118 lb 3x Big 8 Champion in NCAA history. He is Kansas' only 4x Division I All American and one of only a handful from Iowa State. He also added 2 University National freestyle titles to his 6 USA national titles he won before college, which included 3 OW's!! He got married at 19 and began raising his family, which now numbers 6.

The year he graduated, 1994, he was named Male Athlete of the Year at Iowa State. How many wrestlers have ever won this award at a Big 8 school?
After graduating, Eric stayed 1 year in Ames, helping his longtime backup Jason Nurre become an NCAA finalist in his only year as a starter. On to Iowa City for 3 years, where he shaped Mike Mena and Jesse Whitmer while knocking off Zeke Jones to become Olympic Alternate in 1996. He came back to Kansas after being injured at 97 WTT, and bingo, Zach Roberson wins OW at juniors, repeats against Zach Allen the next year, and both get full rides at D-1 schools. No coincidence that they were Eric's workout partners as he defeated defending World champion Henson to make the 1999 World Team. At 2000 Olympic Trials, he retired old rivals Lou Roselli and Mike Mena, defeated Abas for the 6th time and lost to Sammie in a hard fought battle. After 2000, Eric moved to Nebraska, where he stayed the 4 years that Jason Powell competed, culminating in St Louis where Eric got to coach Jason to a tech fall in the finals before watching Zach get his in the next match! His competitive career post 2000 includes a national open freestyle title, 4 WTT placings and wins over world medalist Jesus Wilson and NCAA champs Michael Lightner and Teague Moore, among others.
From a coaching standpoint, he has the Midas Touch. Has anyone he ever coached not made the NCAA finals??
Now, where did you hear that he didn't graduate?

Hopefully, since it is so close, Baker University will be able to get Eric to be the new Head Coach, and the parents of his new recruits can be as happy as Mr. Powell, Mr. Murray, Mr. Klein, etc are with their sons' outcomes at Nebraska.