Ron Gray

1983 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee

May 4, 1937 – July 1, 2023

Ron Gray, a longtime coach at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, is a native of Eagle Grove, Iowa, where he began his association with wrestling in outstanding fashion.

His prep career at Eagle Grove was highlighted by three state championships, in 1952, 1953, and 1955. In 1952, he made history by becoming the first freshman to win an Iowa state high school title, despite coming to Eagle Grove from a county school with no competitive junior high wrestling experience. Gray successfully defended his title as a sophomore before falling to future NCAA champion and 1988 IWHOF inductee Simon Roberts in the finals his junior year. As a senior, he returned to the top of the podium, winning his third state title in 1955.

After high school, Gray chose to take his talents to Iowa State University. He was one of legendary ISU head coach Harold Nichols’ first stars, winning three Big Eight Conference titles and reaching the NCAA tournament finals all three years he competed. In 1957, as a sophomore, he lost an overtime nail-biter in the NCAA finals to former rival Simon Roberts, the same opponent who had defeated him in high school. In 1958, Gray earned an NCAA title at 147 pounds as the No. 3 seed. In 1959, he became a two-time NCAA champion and was named the “Outstanding Wrestler” of the NCAA Tournament—the first of four Cyclones (followed by 1977 IWHOF inductee Dan Gable, 2002 inductee Tim Krieger, and Cael Sanderson) to receive the coveted honor.

After his collegiate career, Gray entered the coaching ranks at Melvindale High School in Michigan. From 1959 until 1966, he produced six state champions. From 1966 to 1971, he coached at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, leading the program to a sixth-place finish in the NCAA College Division with two national champions.

In 1971, Gray became the head coach at Kent State University, where he turned the program into a Mid-American Conference powerhouse. In 1977, he guided the Golden Flashes to their first conference title in 17 years, earning MAC “Coach of the Year” honors. He compiled a 233-112-5 overall record and a 57-10-3 conference mark. His teams won nine MAC titles during his tenure, including six consecutive championships from 1977 to 1982. Gray was named MAC Coach of the Year five times. His wrestlers won 46 individual MAC titles and earned All-America honors six times. Kent State finished in the top 20 at the NCAA tournament three times under his leadership, including two top-15 finishes. In 1997, Gray briefly returned as an assistant coach after retiring.

He was inducted into the Iowa High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Citizens Savings Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame (formerly the NCAA Helms Hall of Fame) in 1979.

Ron Gray will forever be remembered as one of the greatest wrestlers to come from the state of Iowa and Iowa State University.

Ron Gray was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1983 along with Norvard “Snip” Nalan.

Additional Honors & Achievements

1978 Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame
1979 Citizens Savings Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame
1999 Kent State Varsity “K” Hall of Fame
2005 Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame
2005 Glen Brand National Wrestling Hall of Fame
2013 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member
He also served two terms on the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee and the NCAA Wrestling Executive Committee