Takedown Report

National Wrestling Hall of Fame inducts Class of 2024, led by Distinguished Members Stieber, Scott, Montgomery, Hatta

STILLWATER, Okla. – The 47^th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame concluded with the Induction Ceremony on Saturday night at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.

Class of 2024 Distinguished Members were honored at the end of the formal program, each receiving a smaller version of their portrait which will now be displayed on the walls of the Hall of Fame. This year’s Distinguished Members were World or Olympic medalists Coleman Scott, Logan Stieber, Toccara Montgomery plus legendary coach Tadaaki Hatta,

Scott was a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in men’s freestyle, and an NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Oklahoma State. A  two-time Junior National champion and three-time Pennsylvania high school champion, Scott has transitioned into a college coach, including a stint as head coach at Div. I North Carolina.

Scott talked about the many of the ups and downs in life and in wrestling, and how it made him the person that he has become.

“When I think about how I got here, it was the selflessness of others. For 32 years, I have chased a dream. I have done everything in my power to achieve it. As I progress through this, I will be thankful for this sport and what it has done to shape me,” said Scott.

Stieber was 2016 World champion in freestyle, and was the fourth wrestler in history to win four NCAA Div. I titles, which he won for Ohio State. Stieber was a member of the U.S. team which won the 2017 Senior World Championshipes Team, and also led the Ohio State team which won an NCAA team titles in 2015. A four-time Ohio state champion, he is now an assistant coach at his alma mater Ohio State.

Stieber thanked a number of influential people, but chose to spend the majority of his speech thanking his parents.

“I want to talk about my mom and my dad. They sacrificed for us, but I think they enjoyed it. They gave their time, their money and their heart for us. As children, we went on a lot of trips. Two of them were for fun, but the rest of them were for wrestling. Thank you to my mom, my dad and everyone else in my life. I couldn’t be happier,” said Stieber.

Montgomery was a member of the historic 2004 U.S. Olympic team which competed in the Athens Games. Three of the four members of that team are now Distinguished Members, and Montgomery was the first African American woman to wrestle in the Olympics. A two-time Senior World silver medalist and a Junior World silver medalist, she was also a two-time college national champion for the University of the Cumberlands. She first learned to wrestle in Ohio. She was a head coach at Lindenwood University.

Montgomery recalled the time that she heard in high school the announcement inviting boys and girls to join the wrestling team. She is hopeful that more girls will answer that invitation and become part of this great sport.

“Wow. Thank you. This honor is absolutely monumental. It is crazy to see my career come full circle. My list of thank yous is too large to call out here tonight, but that says a lot about the support group that has been behind me,” said Montgomery.

Hatta came from a legendary wrestling family in Japan, and came to the United States to wrestle for Oklahoma State, where he was an NCAA champion and two-time All-American, wrestling for two OSU teams which won national team titles. He became a respected coach at many levels, and coached both men and women at the Olympic Games and World Championships. An art teacher who has done many wrestling paintings, he gives back to the sport by working with youth wrestlers often.

Hatta had numerous people that he thanked … more at … Themat.com/NWHOF-inducts-class-of-2024-led-by-distinguished-members-stieber-scott-montgomery-hatta

June 25, 2024 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized