NCAA Wrestling Data1928–2025

1981 NCAA Championships

Unlimited lb

Champion Lou Banach, Iowa.

Placers

Places 1 to 8 as the record has them.

  1. 1Lou BanachIOWA
  2. 2Bruce BaumgartnerIndiana State
  3. 3Steve WilliamsOU
  4. 4Dan SevernASU
  5. 5Ray WagnerKent State (OH)
  6. 6Steve SefterPSU
  7. 7Mike EvansLouisiana State
  8. 8Mike HoweNorthern Michigan

Championship

Opening round · 1 bout

  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) — SD 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) — SD 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) — SD 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) — SD 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

Bouts as the source workbook records them, in round order. No bracket positions or byes are inferred.