05/31/2026
1963 DII NCAA Wrestling Championships, the first year for DII, formerly called the College Division.
Western Colorado University Wrestling won the team championship.
From left to right: Joe Oldfield, Van Doughty, Bob Hollingshead, Truman Sandelin, Al Rende, and Joe Kuhn.
The 1963 NCAA DII individual champions:
115-pounds, Van Doughty, Western Colorado University.
123-pounds, Terry Finn, Southern Illinois University- Carbondale.
130-pounds, Dee Brainerd, South Dakota State Jackrabbit Wrestling.
137-pounds, Bill Dotson, Iowa State Teachers College (University of Northern Iowa Wrestling.)
147-pounds, Jim Sanford, University of Northern Iowa.
157-pounds, Tom Jarman, Wheaton College Wrestling.
167-pounds, Jim Gass, Cornell College Wrestling.
177-pounds, Ken Houston, Southern Illinois University.
191-pounds, Roger Plapp, Southern Illinois University.
HWT, Larry Kristoff, Southern Illinois University.
You can be whatever you desire in this sport because wrestling truly is for everyone!