Russ Hellickson (1995) | UW Athletic Hall of Fame

UW Athletic Hall of Fame

Member of the U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team in 1976 and 1980
Won a silver medal at 220 pounds in the Olympic Games at Montreal in 1976
Captained the 1980 U.S. Olympic freestyle team, which boycotted the games
Gold medal winner at the Pan American Games in 1971 (198 pounds), 1975 (220) and 1979 (220)
Competed three times in the World Championships and won a silver medal in 1979 and a bronze medal in 1971
A 1974 gold medalist at the prestigious Tbilisi Tournament in Russia
Claimed 10 national freestyle wrestling titles in his career
Recipient of the Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year Award in 1981
Inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Midlands Open Hall of Fame in 1993
Charter member (inducted in 1976) of the Wisconsin Wrestling Hall of Fame
Named National W Club Man of the Year in 1979
Worked as a television commentator for wrestling in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games
Served as an assistant wrestling coach at UW from 1971-82
Head coach of the Badger wrestling team from 1983-86, compiling a 70-22-1 dual record
Led UW to runner-up finishes in the Big Ten in both 1985 and 1986