Who are Wisconsin’s best-ever high school wrestlers? Vote here

Nairavoice | Jun 11, 2026 16h ago 253 0 6 min read

Who are Wisconsin’s best-ever high school wrestlers? Vote here

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports is celebrating the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time. Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their state and regions.

What’s our rubric for determining the “defining” wrestlers in Wisconsin history? Some became local legends on the high school mat but didn’t translate that success to college or the pros. Some blossomed late, and their high school days offered only a hint of their eventual greatness. How do we compare or measure those things?

Our aim: Identifying trailblazers and trendsetters whose influence reaches beyond championships and statistics − and whose stories reflect a lasting impact on their state.

Our process is imperfect. Let us know at the bottom who should be on this list.

Ben Askren, Arrowhead, 2002

Askren was a two-time state champion for the Warhawks (2001, 2002) and also had a productive career in college at Missouri. He finished as a two-time NCAA champion (174 pounds), a three-time Big 12 champion and had an overall record of 153-8. He was also a two-time winner of the Don Hodge Trophy, considered the “wrestling Heisman.” Was a member of the 2008 Olympic team. He is also the founder of Askren Wrestling Academies. His wrestling style – known as “funk” style – was unique and relied primarily on offensive counterattacks from defensive positions. Askren reached the quarterfinals at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics at 74 kilograms, where he lost to eventual silver medalist Buvaisar Saitiev of Russia. Askren has competed in mixed martial arts (19-2 record) and also had a well-publicized boxing match with Jake Paul in April 2021, in which he lost by a technical knockout in the first round.

Alex Dieringer, Port Washington

Dieringer was a three-time state champ for Port Washington and finished with a high school record of 182-4. He followed that success to Oklahoma State, where he became a three-time NCAA champ in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He was also a four-time All-American and inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was the winner of the 2016 Don Hodge Trophy and was the Big 12 wrestler of the year as well. He finished 133-4 in his collegiate career and that included a 82-match win streak.

Dennis Hall, Hartford, 1989

Hall graduated from Hartford in 1989 and was a three-time state champ for the Orioles with a 146-1-1 record. He attended the University of Wisconsin for a year before switching focus to competing for the U.S. Greco team. He was named USA Wrestling man of the year in 1995 and was the Greco-Roman athlete of the year from 1994-96. He was 10-time U.S. national champion, a three-time Olympian (1992, 1996, 2004) and a world champion in 1995 (57 kg). Finished as a silver medalist in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, losing to Kazakhstan’s Yuri Meinichenko in the gold medal match. He was also a three-time Pan American champ (1995, 1999, 2000). Hall was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.

Russ Hellickson, Stoughton, 1966

Was a state champion for Stoughton in 1966 and moved on to compete at the University of Wisconsin. Won silver at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Hellickson also made the 1980 Olympic team. He won 12 national freestyle championships and also won three gold medals at the Pan American Games (1971, 1975, 1979). Was also a silver medalist at the world championships in 1979. Had a successful career as wrestling coach at Wisconsin and Ohio State. Also co-founder of “The Crossface” wrestling newspaper with wife Nancy.

Garrett Lowney, Freedom, 1999

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame member was a three-time state champion (1996-98) and finished his high school career with a 156-5 record. Was a two-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, finishing third at 285 in 2001 and fifth in 2002. Was a bronze medalist at the 2000 Olympic Summer Games in Sydney at 97 kilograms, defeating Konstanitnos Thanos of Greece, 3-1, in overtime. Won the gold at the Junior World Championships in Romania (1999). Was also a member of the 2004 Summer Olympic team in Athens.

Mitchell Messenbrink, Arrowhead, 2022

Was a three-time state champion at Arrowhead (2020-22) and two-time national champion at Penn State, winning gold in 2025 and 2026 at 165 pounds. Won the Hodge Trophy this past season after finishing 27-0. Won the World U23 Championship in 2025 and the U20 World Championship in 2023. Also a two-time U20 Pan American Champion (2022, 2023).

Keegan O’Toole, Arrowhead, 2020

A National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee. Had a stellar high school career, finishing as a four-time state champ (2007-2020), including a 49-0 mark his senior year. Was a five-time All-American at Missouri and won a pair of NCAA titles (2022, 2023) at 165 pounds. Also a three-time Big 12 champ (2022, 2024, 2025). O’Toole won gold at the U20 World Championships (74 kilograms) and the U23 World Championships title (74 kg).

Ben Peterson, Cumberland, 1968

Peterson competed for Cumberland but did not win a state title, finishing runner-up his senior year. Had a stellar college career, however, and was a two-time NCAA champion at Iowa State (1971, 1972) competing at 190 pounds. Was on the Olympic team in 1972 that competed in the Summer Games in Munich. He finished with the gold medal at 90 kilograms. He also won the silver at the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic Games (90 kg). Was a head coach at Maranatha Baptist for 28 years and co-founded “Camp of Champs” training facility with his older brother John. Inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1986.

John Peterson, Cumberland, 1966

The older brother of Ben, John was a late bloomer who hit his stride after high school. He finished fifth in the NAIA championships in 1971 competing for UW-Stout. Peterson made the 1972 Olympic team and earned a silver medal at the Summer Games in Munich. He followed that with a gold medal at the Olympic Summer Games in Montreal. He also earned a silver at the world championships in 1979 and a bronze in 1978. National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee in 1986.

Andy Rein, Stoughton, 1976

Two-time state champ for Stoughton (1975, 1976). Continued his career at the University of Wisconsin, winning an NCAA title in 1980 at 150 pounds. Also finished second at 142 pounds in 1978. Was a member of the 1984 Olympic team and earned a silver medal at 68 kilograms at the Summer Games in Los Angeles. Was head coach at Wisconsin for seven seasons.

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