Tolly Thompson

2013 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee

The love of wrestling is very evident when looking at Tolly Thompson’s longevity in the sport. Following a very successful high school and collegiate career, Thompson continued to wrestle for another eight years in international competitions, culminating in a bronze medal at the 2005 World Cup.

That love of the sport is reflected in the pride he readily shows. “I’m proud to grow up in Iowa, the best wrestling state in the country. I enjoy competing. I enjoy wrestling. I enjoy practicing every day,” Thompson states.

Success has followed Thompson throughout his career, as he was a three-time state qualifier for Janesville High School. Thompson was the state runner-up at 189 pounds both his junior and senior years. He compiled a 118-6 record at Janesville while also placing second twice at the National Meet. He was also runner-up in the USA Junior National Tournament at 220 pounds in 1991.

At the University of Nebraska, Thompson became even more dominant as he won the NCAA heavyweight title in 1995. At Nebraska, he put together a 157-21 record, including 54 falls, and placed third in the NCAA tournament two more times. Thompson was a three-time conference champion and was named the most valuable Nebraska wrestler three times. During his championship year in 1995, Thompson won an 8-0 major decision in the finals match against UNI’s Justin Greenlee. As a redshirt freshman, Thompson compiled a 38-13 record and came up one win short of being an All-American. The 38 wins set a school record for wins by a freshman.

His international competition career included placing third at the 2005 World Championships at 120 kg/265.5 lbs in Budapest, Hungary. Along with the bronze at the World Cup, Thompson placed second at the Cerro Pelado International and was the Dave Schultz Memorial International Champion. In 2004, Thompson qualified for a best-of-three match to decide who would wrestle in the Olympics, only to be beaten by long-time nemesis Kerry McCoy. From 2000 to 2003, Thompson won many championships, with his bid for the 2000 Olympics ending with a loss to then-world and national champion Stephen Neal.

Thompson’s passion for the sport still shows even after all those years. He said, “Wrestling teaches you hard work and discipline and a lot of other values you won’t learn in other sports. You have to have heart, dedication, and a good strong work ethic. In wrestling, it won’t be handed to you on a silver platter. You go out there and you wrestle hard. You have to be in good shape.”

Thompson was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013, along with Dave Ripley, Robert Kenny, and Jason Kelber.