Gordon Hassman

Gordon Hassman, a native of New Hampton, Iowa, made his mark as a wrestler with an outstanding career that stretched from high school through college and onto the national stage. Wrestling under three coaches at New Hampton—John Philo, Frank Powell, and Gene Luttrell—Hassman amassed a remarkable prep record of 95 wins, 13 losses, and 4 ties. He was a two-time Northeast Iowa Conference champion, claiming titles in 1960 and 1961.

Hassman competed in three Iowa state tournaments, never finishing lower than third. He was the state runner-up at 103 pounds as a sophomore in 1959, captured the state championship at 120 pounds in 1960, and took third at 138 pounds in 1961. His 1960 title carried special significance, allowing him to follow in the footsteps of his father, Paul Hassman, who won the Iowa state championship for New Hampton at 155 pounds in 1933.

In the fall of 1961, Gordon enrolled at Iowa State University, where he wrestled under the legendary Coach Harold Nichols. His collegiate career was exceptional. Over three varsity seasons, he compiled a record of 90 wins, 5 losses, and 1 tie. He won back-to-back Big Eight Conference titles at 157 pounds in 1964 and 1965, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the 1964 Big Eight Tournament.

On the national stage, Hassman distinguished himself with three top-three finishes at the NCAA Championships. He placed third at 167 pounds in 1963, claimed the NCAA title at 157 pounds in 1964, and finished third again at 157 in 1965. That same year, he was also honored with the Iowa State University Wrestling Award for most valuable wrestler.

In 1964, Hassman competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing as the runner-up and earning a spot as an alternate on the Olympic team. His contributions to the sport have since been recognized with induction into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, honoring a career that embodied competitive excellence and upheld a family tradition of championship wrestling.

Gordon was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1996 with Luverne Klar.

High School

CoachJohn Philo, Frank Powell & Gene Luttrell

Record95-13-4

• 1959 103-pound State Runner-up
• 1960 120-pound State Champion
• 1961 138-pound State 3rd Place
• Two-time Northeast Iowa Conference Champion

College

CoachDr. Harold Nichols

Record90-5-1

• 1963 167-pound NCAA D-I 3rd Place
• 1964 157-pound NCAA D-I Champion
• 1965 157-pound NCAA D-I 3rd Place
• Three-time NCAA D-I All-American
• Two-Time Big Eight Champion
• 1964 NCAA Outstanding Wrestler 
• 1964 ISU Athlete of the Year
• 1964 Olympic Team Alternate
• 1965 NCAA Team National Title