CRESCO – Former Panther wrestler Mike Allen, a conference champion for UNI in the early 1970s, will be among the latest class of inductees to the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, as announced on Monday afternoon.
Allen, a two-sports athlete at UNI in both wrestling and football, built his career as one of the nation’s top college and high school wrestling referees. The first African-American to officiate the Iowa High School State Tournament, he was named the Iowa Wrestling Official of the Year three times (1980, 1987, 1992) and also worked 23 NCAA Championships and multiple Division I conference championships tournaments, including the Big Ten and Big 12.
Allen was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame first in 2007 as a meritorious official, and again in 2014 into the Hall of Fame’s Iowa Chapter with a Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award. In 2010 he was inducted into the Glen Brand Hall of Fame.
Allen is among six members of the 2024 induction class that also includes:
Leslie Beers
Arthur Holding
Jay Borschel
Trent Paulson
Travis Paulson
The 2024 induction ceremony will be held on Monday, April 8 at the Heritage Events Center/McAllister’s in Cresco. This year’s ceremony will feature a 5:30 p.m. CT social hour, followed by a banquet at 6:30 p.m. CT. Tickets may be purchased for $30 by contacting the Cresco Area Chamber of Commerce at 563-647-3434.