Gary Kurdelmeier

1978 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee

April 9, 1936 – October 5, 1998

Gary Kurdelmeier, assistant athletic director at the University of Iowa, was born in Cresco. During his prep career at Cresco High School, he won two state heavyweight wrestling titles. He also starred in football as an all-state guard in his junior and senior years and was a prep All-American in his final season.

Kurdelmeier graduated from Cresco High School in 1954, received his bachelor’s degree from Iowa in 1958, and earned his master’s degree in physical education from Iowa in 1962.

As a collegiate wrestler, Kurdelmeier captured the Big Ten 177-pound title in 1957 and the NCAA 177-pound crown the following year, compiling an impressive 28-3-1 dual record in three years at Iowa. Known for his strength and aggressive style, he was one of the most dominant middleweights of his era.

One of the state’s all-time wrestling greats, Kurdelmeier began coaching in 1960 at Iowa Falls High School, where he served as head wrestling and assistant football coach, later becoming the school’s athletic director. He remained in Iowa Falls until 1966. Kurdelmeier then moved to Cedar Rapids Jefferson in 1966, where he coached for one season, laying the groundwork for future program success.

In 1967, Kurdelmeier joined the Iowa staff as an assistant under legendary coach Dave McCuskey. When he took over as head coach in 1972, he inherited a solid program but quickly elevated it to national prominence. In just four seasons, Kurdelmeier’s Iowa teams won back-to-back NCAA team championships in 1975 and 1976, the first national titles in Iowa wrestling history, along with three consecutive Big Ten crowns. Under his leadership, Iowa produced ten Big Ten individual champions and six NCAA champions. His Hawkeye squads compiled a dominant dual meet record of 51-7-5, including a 24-3-4 mark in Big Ten competition.

Kurdelmeier also made one of the most impactful decisions in Iowa sports history by hiring Dan Gable as his assistant coach in 1972, grooming him to take over the program. Gable would go on to become one of the most successful coaches in the history of collegiate sports, building on the foundation Kurdelmeier established.

In 1976, Kurdelmeier transitioned to become Iowa’s assistant athletic director, where he continued to support Hawkeye athletics and played a key administrative role during a period of significant growth and national success for Iowa’s sports programs. Beyond his coaching record, Kurdelmeier is remembered for his visionary leadership that set Iowa wrestling on a path to becoming a perennial national powerhouse, leaving an enduring legacy in the sport.

Gary Kurdelmeier was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978 with Dale Brand.