Mike Mann

2017 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee

It all started with a simple physical education unit. That short sixth-grade wrestling session forever changed the trajectory of Mike Mann’s life, igniting a passion that led to a decorated high school and collegiate career—and ultimately to a meaningful role in coaching the next generation of athletes.

Growing up on a farm near Marshalltown, Mann didn’t come from a wrestling family—his father was a basketball player. But the one-on-one intensity of wrestling captured his interest early. “I loved the one-on-one contact of wrestling and started wrestling as a seventh grader at Miller in Marshalltown,” Mann recalled. Inspired by wrestling icons like Dan Gable and Chris Taylor, Mann began competing seriously in eighth grade, winning nearly 90% of his matches. With guidance from his junior high coach, who took him and his son to youth tournaments, Mann began to emerge as a rising talent.

His high school career at Marshalltown High School showcased that talent. As a sophomore, he placed fourth in the state at 167 pounds. He followed that up with a third-place finish at 185 pounds as a junior and capped off his senior year with a perfect 28-0 record, winning the state title at 185 pounds. On the national stage, Mann also impressed—placing second at the National Freestyle Tournament despite wrestling with an injury and earning a Central Junior National title.

At Iowa State University, Mann continued to thrive under the legendary Coach Harold Nichols, though the road was anything but easy. “My freshman year was tough. I was wrestling second or third in the room and not getting to wrestle much,” Mann remembered. That changed when he asked to compete at the prestigious Midlands Tournament. His request paid off—he upset Bud Palmer of Iowa with a last-second takedown in the semifinals before falling to teammate Willie Gadson in the finals. Later that season, he defeated Palmer again in a rematch at the Iowa Fieldhouse.

Over his career as a Cyclone, Mann earned four NCAA All-America honors, finishing seventh, fourth, and twice as national runner-up. He won the 190-pound title at the 1981 Midlands Tournament during his redshirt year and finished second twice more. He also captured a Big Eight Conference title and helped uphold the storied tradition of Iowa State wrestling during a highly competitive era.

But for Mann, the sport has always been about more than just accolades. “The mutual respect, the crazy bonding of wrestlers. I’ll run into someone from way back, and we talk like we’ve known each other forever. The camaraderie is incredible,” he said.

Though now retired from coaching as of 2021, Mann spent years giving back to the sport by leading the wrestling program at his alma mater, Marshalltown High School. There, he brought the same intensity, discipline, and perspective that defined his own career, guiding young athletes and shaping future leaders. “I took those experiences, remembered every detail of a situation, and tried to pay it forward—passing it on to the next generation,” he said.

In recognition of his lifelong commitment to the sport, Mike Mann was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2017 alongside Sandy Stevens and Joel and Justin Greenlee.