2023 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee
Wrestlers, like all athletes, set goals for themselves. High schoolers seek state titles, college wrestler’s work for All-American status, and the real elite wrestlers look for national titles. Ken Gallagher checked off all those boxes and even more during his wrestling career.
Gallagher got the wrestling world’s attention his junior year at Columbus High School in Waterloo when he placed second at state tournament. He followed that up with a senior year state championship at 145 pounds. “I got beat three times by the same guy my junior year and I lost one match my senior year. Clearly, I remembered the losses more than the wins,” Gallagher noted.
From there Gallagher was recruited by six colleges. “It finally came down to Iowa or University of Northern Iowa. I wrestled with Gable and Yagla but in the end “it was all about Chuck Patten” Gallagher recalled.
The University of Northern Iowa was his choice. During his redshirt freshman year at UNI, Gallagher placed third in the nation in Division II at 150 pounds. In 1980 he followed that up with a national championship at the same weight. In 1981 UNI then moved from Division II to Division I where the program continued to succeed.
In 1981 Gallagher went on to become an All-American when he placed fifth in the nation at 142 pounds and then registered his fourth All-American status when he placed seventh at 142 pounds in 1982.
“I really don’t remember much about my last year at 142 pounds. I went down a weight to keep a teammate from quitting wrestling because he couldn’t make weight. I only wrestled half a year at 142 the first year but the second year I was cutting so much weight I just didn’t have much left in me,” Gallagher explained.
Side notes to Gallagher’s college career includes winning four conference championships: finishing with 113-41-4 career record and third most dual meet wins in school history. Gallagher’s Panther team also placed fourth at the NCAA tournament his final year where they had three wrestlers finish as All-Americans. That year the Panther’s had a dual meet record of 15-2.
Gallagher also noted changes in overall wrestling programs from when he wrestled in college including weight management techniques and having to make weight fewer times during the season.
Gallagher wasn’t yet done with wrestling. Gene Doyle, a 2012 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Famer, asked Gallagher to help coach the Cedar Falls High School squad. 15 years later those Cedar Falls teams had won three state teams titles, one dual meet title along with three other state dual meet placings.
“Gene did the tough stuff. Scheduling, dealing with parents, all the head coach stuff. All I did was show kids the moves. I wasn’t a teacher but just an assistant coach, “Gallagher modestly stated.
Gallagher was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2023 along with Dan McCool, Jason Christenson and Cliff Moore.
High School
1976 2nd in state tournament 146-pounds
1977 1st in state tournament 145-pounds
College
CoachChuck Patten
Record113-41-4
1978-1982 Four-time All-American
55 Dual victories, third most all-time
1979 Third in Division II
1980 National Champion Division II
1981 Fifth in Division I
1982 Seventh in Division I
Coaching
Assistant Coach, Cedar Falls High School