for immediate release, June 29, 1998USA Wrestling has named Kevin Jackson of Gilbert, Ariz. as its new Freestyle Resident Coach.
USA Wrestling is the national governing body for amateur wrestling in the United States, and a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the international wrestling federation (FILA).
Jackson is considered one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in U.S. history, winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain at 180.5 pounds, and claiming World Championship gold medals in both 1991 and 1995.
"Kevin has been one of the top wrestlers in the world for nearly a decade," said Mitch Hull, National Teams Director for USA Wrestling. "He understands technique and what it takes to win at the World and Olympic level. We look forward to him overseeing the resident program. He will provide his exceptional technical and preparation knowledge to the resident athletes, as well as the other elite freestyle wrestlers who train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center."
Jackson is one of only five U.S. wrestlers to claim three career World-level titles, a group which also includes stars John Smith, Bruce Baumgartner, Lee Kemp and Mark Schultz.
He competed on five U.S. World or Olympic teams, also placing fourth in the 1993 World Championships and competing in the 1994 World Championships. Jackson boasts three career World Cup titles, and won the Pan American Games two times. In 1998, he won a gold medal at the Takhti Cup in Tehran, Iran, the only U.S. champion during this historic tour, the first U.S. team in Iran in 20 years.
Jackson won three U.S. Nationals titles, and placed second five times. He qualified for Freestyle Team USA for eight straight years (1990-98).
He won many major awards, including the 1995 John Smith Award as USA Wrestling Freestyle Wrestler of the Year. He was named Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year in 1992, and was the USA Wrestling and USOC Wrestler of the Year in 1991.
Jackson was an NCAA runner-up for Iowa State Univ. in 1987. He also was a three-time All-American for Louisiana State Univ. from 1983-85. Originally from Lansing, Mich., Jackson won two state high school titles for Lansing Eastern High School and was a Junior National Greco-Roman champion.
He has served as an assistant wrestling coach at Iowa State Univ. and at Arizona State Univ.
Jackson will be working in USA Wrestling's National Teams Department. He will coach the athletes involved with the U.S. Olympic Training Center freestyle resident program, as well as other freestyle wrestlers who come to Colorado Springs for training. Jackson will also assist National Freestyle Coach Bruce Burnett in the overall freestyle program.