The memory of Myron Roderick, former Oklahoma State wrestler and coach who died in December, is being honored by having his name on the Man of the Year Award presented by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the U.S.
The honor was announced at the annual Cowboy wrestling alumni dinner held in Stillwater, Okla. Saturday night.
Roderick, who died Dec. 28 at age 77, earned three NCAA titles as a wrestler at Oklahoma State (1952-54). He also placed fourth in freestyle at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He was offered the head coaching job at his alma mater after graduation, becoming the youngest individual in the nation to head up a major college wrestling program.
At the reins of the storied Cowboy mat program, Roderick compiled a 140-10-7 record, for a winning percentage of 91.4%, behind only Ed Gallagher (Oklahoma State, 1917-1940) and Dan Gable (University of Iowa, 1976-1997). Roderick's wrestlers won 20 individual NCAA championships and seven team titles. Under Roderick, four Cowboys won Olympic gold medals.
Roderick left the coaching job at Oklahoma State in 1969 at age 34 to serve as director of the U.S. Wrestling Federation, predecessor to today's USA Wrestling, until 1974.
“Myron Roderick, by many accounts, was the father of USA Wrestling,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. “I can’t think of a more fitting award than our highest honor to be named in Myron Roderick’s memory.”
USA Wrestling’s Man of the Year Award was created in 1970, when Roderick served as the organization’s Executive Director. The first Man of the Year was Rex Peery for 1970; the most recent honor was given to Mike Novogratz for 2010.
Want to know more? To read USA Wrestling's announcement -- and see the entire list of Man of the Year honorees -- check out TheMat.com.
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