Steve Techam – The Guillotine

Hall of Famer Steve Techam Dies at 80

September 11, 2025

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.

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Dying Hall of Fame Coach is Leaving a Great Legacy

May 21, 2026September 17, 2024

By Jeff Bro Olsen

Steve Techam, 79, is amazing.

The 1945 model is facing the stiffest odds of ever turning 80, shooting a 10-point buck at 250 yards, reeling in silver salmon up in Alaska, or making one more Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament.

And that’s as a spectator.

The 2021 National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach shows you nothing that will tear at the heartstrings.

He’s a gamer!

Clay Nagel was immediately touched when told that Steve, the former Bertha-Hewitt head wrestling coach, has limited time left after being diagnosed with aplastic anemia in February 2023.

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National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Minnesota Chapter Honors 11

April 26, 2025April 26, 2021

On Saturday, April 24th, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Minnesota Chapter held their 19th annual banquet and ceremony and inducted nine new members and honored two from the 2020 class who have contributed significantly to Minnesota Wrestling and beyond. The celebration was held at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Austin, Minn.

250 people were in attendance, including many former Hall of Fame inductees.

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NWHOF to Induct 9 new members at the MN Chapter Banquet in the Spring

April 24, 2022November 16, 2020

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Minnesota Chapter is proud to announce the induction of nine new members for the Class of 2021. Ricky Ties Jr will receive the State Medal of Courage Award from Minnesota. Honorees for the Lifetime Service Award are Dr. John Berg Jr, Clay Nagel, Charlie Peterson, Terry Sworsky, Jim Tanniehill, Steve Techam, Ken Vogt, and Jim Williams.

The Banquet will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2021, at the Austin Holiday Inn Conference Center, right off I-90, Exit 178A. The schedule includes a social hour at 12 Noon, dinner at 1:00 pm, and presentations, honoree speeches, green jacket parade, and marble plaque inductions at 2:30 pm. 2020 honorees Larry Goodnature and Bill Schmidt will give their postponed acceptance speeches first.

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