2024 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee
Travis Paulson competed every day with his twin brother Trent and learned hard work and humbleness will take him to a place where champions are made. His impressive list of achievements speak for themselves as his persistent efforts paid off.
Travis won three Iowa High School State Championships for Lewis Central which included a 174-3 record, winning his last 87 matches. Travis was coached by Keith Massey who molded him with the basics and fundamentals of a true champion. He went on to win a 2002 Junior National Greco title and was named honorable mention for the prestigious Asics Tiger All-American Team.
As Travis and his twin brother embarked on their college recruiting journey, Iowa State University and Coach Bobby Douglas quickly captured their attention. The Paulson twins had always planned to follow each other after high school. It was Coach Douglas’s long-term plan and outstanding practice room that set ISU apart from others. Travis quickly found success at Iowa State recording three All-American Honors and a Midlands Wrestling Championship. In Travis’s final year, Coach Cael Sanderson assumed leadership of the Iowa State program and instilled a winning mindset that Travis continues to uphold. The coach’s wisdom – “Unless you continually work evolve, and innovate, you’ll learn a quick and painful lesson from someone who has” – has left a lasting impact on Travis. During his time as a Cyclone, Travis achieved an impressive 107 wins and subsequently embarked on a highly successful international career.
Throughout Travis’s international career, he achieved remarkable milestones, including winning a Junior National Championship, the US Open Championship, and the Hargobind International Open Championship. Travis also secured his spot on the US National Team four times and served as a Senior World Team Member in 2010. Additionally, he was an Olympic alternate for both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. As Travis’s competitive career gradually came to a close, he transitioned into a coaching role at Iowa State University under the guidance of Head Coach Kevin Jackson.
After coaching for eight years at Iowa State University and one season at the University of Nebraska, Travis decided to follow Coach Steve Garland to Virginia. Travis was drawn to Coach Garland’s leadership after hearing him speak at an event during the NCAA Championships. Soon after, Travis’s brother Trent also joined them in Virginia, and it has become their home. Currently serving as the associate head coach, Travis in now in his seventh season with the Cavaliers, where he continues to achieve success.
Travis’s journey to success has been shaped not only by his own efforts but also by the opportunities provided by his twin brother, Trent. The intense battles with his twin taught Travis the importance of maintaining perspective and perseverance. He draws inspiration from Galatians 6:9, which reminds us not to grow weary in doing good, as we will eventually reap the rewards if we persist. Travis Paulson’s legacy is firmly etched in Iowa wrestling history, marking him as a true great.
Travis was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2024 along with Mike Allen, Jay Borschel, Trent Paulson, Leslie Beers (posthumously), and Arthur Holding (posthumously).
Additional Honors & Achievements
- 2002 Kaufman-Brand 20-and-Under Open Champion 157-pounds
- 2003 Kaufman-Brand Champion 157-pounds and named Outstanding Wrestler
- 2004 Second at the Midlands Wrestling Tournament 165-pounds
- 2005 Northern Plains Freestyle Regional Champion 165-pounds
- 2005 Kaufman-Brand Champion
- 2005 Harold Nichols Open Champion
- 2006 Northern Plains Freestyle Champion
- 2006 Greco-Roman Champion 165-pounds
- 2006 Third at Midlands Wrestling Tournament
- 2008 and 2012 Alternate for U.S. Olympic Team
- 2009 Hargobind International Open Champion 185-pounds
- 2010 U.S. Freestyle World Team Member
- 2010 Senior World Team Member
- U.S. Open National Champion
- Four-Time U.S. National Team Member
- 2017 Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2017 Glen Brand Hall of Fame Inductee
High School
CoachKeith Massey
Record174-3
- 1999 Iowa High School State Champion 112-pounds
- 2001 Iowa High School State Champion 145-pounds
- 2002 Iowa High School State Champion 152-pounds
- Three-time Iowa High School State Champion
- His final two high school wrestling seasons, Travis went undefeated
- 2002 Junior National Greco-Roman Co-Champion with brother Trent
- 2002 Asics Tiger All-American Honorable Mention
- Amateur Wrestling News High School All-American
- AWN’s sixth-ranked wrestler at 152-pounds
College
CoachBobby Douglas, Cael Sanderson
Record107-32
- 2004 Fourth at the Big 12 Championship 157-pounds
- 2004 Sixth at NCAA Championship 157-pounds
- 2005 Fourth at Big 12 Championship165-pounds
- 2006 Third Big 12 Championship 165-pounds
- 2006 Sixth at NCAA Championship 165-pounds
- 2007 Second at Big 12 Championship 165-pounds
- 2007 Fifth at NCAA Championship 165-pounds
- Three-Time All-American Honors
- Four-Time Academic All-Big 12 Honors
- Iowa State University Co-Captain Junior and Senior Year
- ISU Outstanding Junior Honoree
Coaching
- 2008-2009 University of Nebraska Assistant Coach
- 2010-2017 Iowa State University Assistant Coach
- 2014 and 2015 Two-time coach for the U.S. freestyle FILA Cadet Team in the Pan Am Games
- 2014 and 2015 Freestyle coach for the University World Championships
- 2017 Interim Head Coach Iowa State University
- 2017-Present Virginia Associate Head Coach