Bill Hinchley dedicated over four decades to the sport of wrestling, making significant contributions as an official, administrator, and leader. He served as President of the Owatonna Wrestling Association and spent 30 years as the CEO for Minnesota USA Wrestling. A dedicated mat official for over 40 years, Hinchley was widely recognized for his officiating excellence, receiving the US Wrestling Officials Association Lifetime Achievement Award and being named USA Wrestling Official of the Year in 2007. He was inducted into the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015 .
Death
Bob Board 1935-2026
Hall of Famer Bob Board passed away on September 5, 2026. He was 90 years old. Board was a long-time coach at Coon Rapids High School, a University of Minnesota wrestler, and a state champion for Anoka High School. He was inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Dave Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1973 and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.
Gophers Mourn the Passing of J Robinson
MINNEAPOLIS – Former University of Minnesota wrestling head coach J Robinson passed away Sunday, March 29. He was 79 years old.
Robinson led the Gophers for 30 seasons from the 1985-86 campaign through the 2015-16 season. He developed an environment of excellence over those three decades that saw Minnesota rise to elite status in college wrestling. His teams claimed three national championships, while the three-time National Coach of the Year developed 65 All-Americans, 14 individual National Champions, six Big Ten team titles and 31 different Big Ten champions accounting for 49 individual titles.
All told, Robinson’s wrestlers amassed a total of 126 All-America honors, including a NCAA-record 10 All-Americans during the National Championship run in 2001. His .753 winning percentage and 440 dual meet victories are both program records.
Longtime Gophers wrestling coach J Robinson dead at 79
Robinson guided the Gophers to three national championships over his 30 seasons leading the program.
J Robinson, the wrestling coach who guided the Gophers to three NCAA team championships over 30 seasons, leading the program, has died at age 79.
The Gophers wrestling program announced Robinson’s death on social media Sunday, March 29, but did not provide further details.
Robinson coached the Gophers from 1986 to 2016, winning NCAA championships in 2001, ’02 and ’07 and coaching 14 individual national champions. Under Robinson, the Gophers also won six Big Ten team titles, and he was named Big Ten Coach of the Year eight times. Continue reading at startribune.com →
Dennis Kipp 1948-2026
Dennis Kipp served as a long-time leader of the Mankato Area Wrestling Club and a high-level official. His contributions to the sport earned him recognition as the Minnesota Mat Official of the Year in both 1990 and 2006. Through his leadership and officiating, Dennis maintained a significant presence in the Mankato area wrestling communities and across Minnesota.
Hall of Famer Steve Techam Dies at 80
Steve Techam, a longtime Minnesota wrestling coach who built programs from the ground up and earned induction into two halls of fame, died Sept. 3. He was 80.
Techam founded the wrestling program at Verndale High School in 1969 after being hired to teach junior high social studies. He coached the Pirates until 1980, when the school consolidated with Bertha-Hewitt to form the Raiders program.
The veteran coach continued leading Bertha-Hewitt-Verndale until retiring in 2007, then returned for the 2013-14 season to guide the Raiders to the state tournament. Techam finished his career with a 400-178-8.
Dave Erickson 1937-2025
Hall of Famer Dave Erickson passed away on June 10, 2025. He was 88 years old. Erickson was a long-time coach at Hayfield High School. He was inducted into the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association Dave Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015.
Community mourns beloved Homecoming King killed in pickup crash
Blake Unger was killed in the crash, with an 18-year-old driver arrested for DWI.
The New York Mills community is paying tribute to Blake Unger, the 18-year-old Homecoming King who was tragically killed in a pickup truck crash just days after graduating from high school.
Unger died at the scene following the crash in Otter Tail County on Tuesday evening, with police finding the vehicle in a ditch and Unger outside the vehicle. The 18-year-old driver has been arrested for DWI and criminal vehicular homicide.
Tributes to Unger reveal him to be a decorated wrestler and football player at New York Mills Public School, where his visitation and memorial will be held on Wednesday, June 4. Continue reading at bringmethenews.com →
Alexandria community remembers legendary coach, teacher Dick Greengo
Greengo passed away on Dec. 29, 2024. Greengo was an art teacher at Jefferson High School and later Alexandria Technical and Community College. He started the Alexandria wrestling program in 1959 and laid the foundation for what the program is today.
ALEXANDRIA — Every program has its pioneers and Dick Greengo was that for the Alexandria wrestling program. He started the Alexandria wrestling program in 1959 and served as the head coach for 12 years.
Greengo coached many talented wrestlers, including some state champions, and led Alexandria to a third-place finish at the 1970 state tournament.
He also made an impact as a teacher at Jefferson High School (now Alexandria Area High School) and at Alexandria Technical School (now Alexandria Technical and Community College).
Greengo passed away at the age of 91 on Dec. 29, 2024. Throughout his life, Dick was known as a humble, hard-working and caring person. Continue reading at echopress.com →
Little Falls head coach dies at age 46
Simon Waltman unexpectedly passed away Tuesday, July 30.
LITTLE FALLS — Little Falls head wrestling coach Simon Waltman unexpectedly died Tuesday, July 30, at the age of 46.
He spent the last three years as the Flyers wrestling coach, which included a state tournament appearance as a team last year. Continue reading at brainerddispatch.com →