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
2017 National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Glen Brand Inductee
2017 IHSAA Wrestling Hall of Fame
High School
CoachKeith Massey
Record174-3-0
- 1999 112-pound State Champion
- 2001 145-pound State Champion
- 2002 152-pound State Champion
- Undefeated Junior & Senior Year
- 2002 Junior National Greco-Roman Co-Champion
- 2002 Asics Tiger All-American Honorable Mention
- Amateur Wrestling News High School All-American
College
CoachBobby Douglas & Cael Sanderson
Record107-32-0
- 2004 157-pound NCAA 6th Place
- 2006 165-pound NCAA 6th Place
- 2007 165-pound NCAA 5th Place
- 2007 165-pound Big Ten Runner-up
- Three-time NCAA All-American
- 2004 NCAA D1 Men’s Individual Scholar All-American
- Four-time NCAA Academic All-Big 12
- Iowa State University Co-Captain Junior and Senior Year
- ISU Outstanding Junior
Professional
- 2002 157-pound Kaufman-Brand 20-and-Under Open Champion
- 2003 157-pound Kaufman-Brand Champion and named Outstanding Wrestler
- 2004 165-pound Midlands Wrestling Tournament Runner-up
- 2005 165-pound Northern Plains Freestyle Regional Champion
- 2005 Kaufman-Brand Champion
- 2005 Harold Nichols Open Champion
- 2006 Northern Plains Freestyle Champion
- 2006 165-pound Greco-Roman Champion
- 2006 Midlands Wrestling Tournament 3rd Place
- 2008 and 2012 Alternate for U.S. Olympic Team
- 2009 185-pound Hargobind International Open Champion
- 2010 U.S. Freestyle World Team Member
- 2010 Senior World Team Member
- U.S. Open National Champion
- Four-Time U.S. National Team Member
Coaching
University of Nebraska – Assistant Coach (2008-2009)
Iowa State University – Assistant Coach (2010-2016)
- 2 Individual NCAA Champions
- 15 Individual NCAA All-Americans
Iowa State University – Interim Head Coach (2017)
University of Virginia – Assistant Coach (2017-Present)
- 6 Individual NCAA All-Americans
- 3 Individual ACC Champions