Clarion Athletics

The world watched Kurt Angle drop to his knees in the Summer of 1996 after he captured Olympic Gold in Atlanta. He cried. His dream was complete...A moment that lasted only seconds is frozen in time and in our minds.  For Clarion fans, it was a feeling of pride that will last a lifetime. An outstanding wrestler at Clarion University from 1988-92, Angle was a 4-year starter and 3-year captain of the Golden Eagles at heavyweight. It all started in the 1987-88 season when Angle posted a 29-8-1, won the EWL title and qualified for the NCAA's. He was named EWL "Freshman of the Year". After red-shirting the 1989 season, Kurt came back in 1990, posted a 35-0-1 record, won the PSAC and EWL crowns, then went to the NCAA's and won his first NCAA Division I Title. In 1991 Angle won the PSAC's, but nearly missed the EWL's with a bad knee. He fought through the injury, won the EWL's and amazingly finished 2nd at the NCAA Division I Nationals with a final record of 26-2. In 1992, healthy again, he roared back compiling a 26-0 mark, won the PSAC's, EWL's and his second NCAA Division I crown. Angle finished his career with a remarkable record of 116-10-2, 2 NCAA titles, 3 All-America finishes, 4 EWL crowns and 3 PSAC titles. The two-time EWL and 3-time PSAC "Wrestler of the Year", graduated from Clarion in 1992 with a degree in Geography. An assistant coach here at Clarion in 1992-93, Kurt stepped away from coaching to devote full-time to his Olympic dreams. He became World Freestyle Champion at 220-pounds in 1995, then won Olympic Gold in Atlanta in 1996.  Among the many awards he has received, Angle was voted the Pittsburgh "Dapper Dan" Man of the Year in 1997, topping Mario Lemieux and Jerome Bettis.