Tom Brands elected as Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
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(National Wrestling Hall of Fame)
02/08/2001
On June 2, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will induct five former wrestling greats for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the sport. The second of the new Distinguished Members to be announced is Olympic and World Champion Tom Brands. Each day this week, TheMat.com will profile one of the new Distinguished Members in the Hall's 25th class. In the rich tradition that is Iowa wrestling. it is difficult to achieve legendary status. Tom Brands did just that. Four times Brands was named All-American and was a three-time national champion while compiling a career record of 158-7-2 for the Hawkeyes.A team captain for three seasons, Brands was also a three-time Big Ten champion, as well as being named Outstanding Wrestler at the 1992 NCAA Championships. After his freshman campaign, Brands was tabbed as the Freshman of the Year by Amateur Wrestling News. However, Brands' accomplishments did not stop on the collegiate level. In fact, his crowning achievement came at the 1996 Olympics, where he turned in a gold-medal performance in Atlanta. Brands allowed just one point by his opponents in his march to the title. From 1993-96, he reigned as the U.S. national champion. Brands captured titles at the 1993 World Championships and the 1994 World Cup. The following year, he was victorious at the Pan American Games and repeated at the World Cup. Brands currently serves as an assistant coach for his alma mater and was named the 2000 College Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.