Mark Sindlinger

2012 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee

A two-sport athlete in Division I college competition is indeed rare. Even rarer is an athlete who excels in both sports.

“In high school, I was a wrestler who played football. In college, I was a football player who wrestled,” explains Mark Sindlinger. The titles of “Wrestler” and “Football Player” could easily be relabeled “Winner” when recounting the high school and college career of Sindlinger, who excelled at both Charles City High School and the University of Iowa. A humble Sindlinger explained, “How could I go wrong? I had supportive parents and then the best of the best coaches. Gable, Miller, Fry, and Ferentz all challenged me to excel and led me through a very rewarding athletic career. I had the best of both worlds.”

Sindlinger, the “wrestler” at Charles City, won his first of three state heavyweight titles as a sophomore while compiling a 21-1 record for coach Jim Miller. He followed that with an 18-1 record as a junior and went unbeaten as a senior with a 25-0 record. In 1982, as a junior, he also won the Junior National Freestyle Championship, and in 1983 he was a Junior National Greco Champion. At Charles City, he was also named to the First Team All-State squad as a defensive tackle and qualified for the state track meet in the discus.

Sindlinger then became the “football player” when he accepted a full-ride football scholarship to the University of Iowa, with the understanding that he could also wrestle. Never redshirted as a football player, Sindlinger was a three-year starter for the Hawkeyes, who went to four bowl games during his tenure. “Those football commitments kept me busy until January each year, and that’s when I’d start wrestling,” Sindlinger recalled. He did redshirt in wrestling and was able to wrestle one full season for Iowa. Even with limited mat time, Sindlinger was a two-time Big Ten Champion, placing fourth and sixth in the NCAA Championships. When wrestling ended each year, it was back to spring football training.

Coach Gable at times has talked about “what I could have done,” but I don’t think like that. I went to four bowl games, was part of three NCAA wrestling championship teams, and placed second the other two years. I don’t regret my decisions,” Sindlinger concluded.

Sindlinger was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012, along with Gene Doyle, Marv Reiland, and Bob Buzzard.