The Hall of Fame Committee for the NCAA II Wrestling Coaches Association has announced that on March 11, 2004, seven individuals will be inducted into the Division II  Wrestling Hall of Fame.  The induction will take place in Mankato, Minnesota at the Holiday Inn Civic Center at 7:00 pm.  A social hour will precede the banquet at 6:00 pm.  The Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame Ceremony will be held in conjunction with a banquet for coaches and dignitaries on the Thursday evening preceding the start of the 42nd Annual NCAA II National Wrestling Championships hosted by the Minnesota State University-Mankato in Mankato, Minnesota.  Tickets for the banquet can be reserved at a cost of $20.00 by emailing Cheryl Regan at cheryl.regan@mnsu.edu no later than Wednesday, March 10.    The ninth class of inductees includes seven individuals being inducted into the Athletes category.  The Hall of Famers that are being inducted into the Athletes category include: Lee Peterson, wrestler at North Dakota State University from 1972 to 1975; Mike Langlais, wrestler at North Dakota State University  from 1980 to 1984;  Jack Eustice, wrestler at Minnesota State University, Mankato from 1973 to 1977; Bob Soulek, wrestler at Minnesota State University, Mankato from 1964 to 1967; Jim Gale, wrestler at Minnesota State University, Mankato from 1990 to 1994; Chad Lamer, wrestler at South Dakota State University from 1992 to 1996; and Booker Benford, wrestler at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville from 1981 to 1985.    The NCAA II National Wrestling Championships were first held in 1963.  For the first eleven years it was called the NCAA College Division Tournament.  In 1974, when the NCAA started the divisional concept, approximately half of the College Division schools continued competing in the NCAA II Wrestling Championships and about half went into the NCAA III.  Since 1963, forty-one teams have been crowned National Champions and four-hundred and fourteen individual National Championships have been awarded.  The NCAA II Wrestling Coaches Association feels that it is important to honor the NCAA II coaches and wrestlers that have achieved greatness.  These  seven inductees will join the fifty inductees from the first eight induction classes as Division II Wrestling Hall of Famers.    Biographies of the new inductees and a list of all Hall of Fame members are enclosed.    Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame Members  1996  Tracy Borah, Coach, Western State of Colorado  Jack Hancock, Coach, Colorado School of Mines  Chuck Patten, Coach, University of Northern Iowa  Warren Williamson, Coach, South Dakota State University  Larry Kristoff, Coach and Athlete, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville  Rick Sanders, Athlete, Portland State University  Chuck Seal, Athlete, Portland State University  Masaru Yatabe, Athlete, Portland State Univerisity    1997  Arthur "Bucky" Maughan, Coach, North Dakota State University  Doug Parker, Coach, Springfield College  Jeff Blatnick, Athlete, Springfield College  Koln Knight, Athlete, Agustana College  Bill Demeray, Athlete, North Dakota State University  Brad Rheingans, Athlete, North Dakota State University    1998  Vaughan Hitchcock, Coach, Cal Poly University  Tom Beeson, Athlete, Western State of Colorado  John Woods, Athlete, Cal Poly University  Ken Bos, Athlete, Cal Poly University  Larry Morgan, Athlete, Cal Poly University  Glenn Anderson, Athlete, Cal Poly University    1999  Rummy Macias, Coach, Mankato State University  Mike Denny, Coach, University of Nebraska at Omaha  R. J. Nebe, Wrestler, University of Nebraska at Omaha  Mark Manning, Wrestler University of Nebraska at Omaha  Mark Rigatuso, Wrestler, University of Nebraska at Omaha  Jim Miller, Wrestler, University of Northern Iowa  Ken Snyder, Wrestler, University of Northern Iowa  Mike McCready, Wrestler, University of Northern Iowa    2000  Jim Koch, Coach, University of Wisconsin-Parkside  Paul Kendle, Coach, Augustana College  Brian Parlet, Wrestler, Augustana College  Tom Kline, Wrestler, Cal Poly University  Don Parker, Wrestler, University of Northern Iowa  Kent Osboe, Wrestler, University of Northern Iowa  Rick Jensen, Wrestler, South Dakota State University  Jeff Hohertz, Wrestler, South Dakota State University    2001  Jim Fallis, Meritorious Service, University of Northern Colorado  Mike Pantoya, Wrestler, University of Northern Colorado  Al Rozman, Wrestler, Western State College of Colorado  Dale Stryker, Wrestler, Western State College of Colorado  Glen Younger, Wrestler, Western State College of Colorado    2002  Ed Aliverti, Meritorious Service, Edmonds, Washington  Ted Price, Wrestler, University of Wisconsin-Parkside  Mark Burrell, Wrestler, Central Missouri State Unviersity  Mike Hahesy, Wrestler, Edinboro University of PA    2003  Vince Monseau, Coach, West Liberty State College  Pat Pecora, Coach, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown  Stan Dziedzic, Wrestler, Slippery Rock University  Jeff Esmont, Wrestler, Ashland University  Ken Hackman, Wrestler, California University of Pennsylvania    2004  Lee Peterson, Wrestler, North Dakota State University  Mike Langlais, Wrestler, North Dakota State University  Bob Soulek, Wrestler, Minnesota State University, Mankato  Jack Eustice, Wrestler, Minnesota State University, Mankato  Jim Gale, Wrestler, Minnesota State University, Mankato  Booker Benford, Wrestler, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville  Chad Lamer, Wrestler, South Dakota State University      2004 Division II Hall of Fame Inductee    Athlete - Booker Benford  Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville  Edwardsville, Illinois    Booker Benford started his wrestling career in Providence, Rhode Island.  He wrestled at Central High School and was a State Champion both his junior and senior years.  He was also the New England Champion and Outstanding Wrestler his senior year.  His overall high school record was 125-10.    Booker enrolled at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville in the fall of 1981 to wrestle for Coach Larry Kristoff.  Kristoff is a charter member of the Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame.  During the four years that Booker wrestled at SIU-E, the Cougars became the most dominate team in the NCAA II, and he was their most dominant wrestler.    As a freshman, wrestling at 167 pounds he posted a 29-15 record and earned All-American honors by placing fifth in the 1982 NCAA II Nationals.  He helped his team win the third place trophy.  The following year Booker moved up to 177 pounds, put together a season record of 34-9-1 and earned his second All-American honors by placing second in the NCAA II Nationals.  This time SIU-E finished in fourth place.  The next two years, Booker was one of the top 177 pounders in the country regardless of the division.  Both years he won the NCAA II Nationals and finished third in the NCAA I Nationals giving him a total of six All-American awards.  His overall record as a junior was 45-8 and as a senior it was 53-4.  His SIU-E team won their first ever NCAA II National Wrestling Championship during Booker's junior season and then repeated again during his senior season.  His career record of 161-34-1 makes him the winingest wrestler in the illustrious history of Cougar wrestling.  His 53 wins as a senior during the 1984-85 season is also the single season record for this school.    Following his collegiate wrestling career, Booker made quite a name for himself in freestyle wrestling.  Nine times he earned USA Freestyle All-American honors.  In 1988 and 1992 he was the alternate on the USA Olympic Freestyle Team.    Booker graduated from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville with a B.S. degree in Business Administration, but much of his time has been spent in the coaching profession.  He was an assistant coach at Southwestern Illinois Junior College in Belleville for three years before returning to SIU-Edwardsville and serving as an assistant under his former coach Larry Kristoff for several years.  In 1999 Booker was named the head coach at his alma mater SIU - Edwardsville.  In