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Wrestling History

The WIAA goes back to 1940 to determine the beginning of its wrestling tournament program.

Milwaukee Washington won the first State Meet that was held at Appleton. The next year the tournament was held at West Milwaukee before moving to Neenah for 1942. Then, because of World War II, there were no more State Meets until 1947 when it was held at West Milwaukee. Racine Park hosted the 1948 meet.

The State Tournament moved to the UW Field House in 1949 and was held at that site through 1997. In 1998, the State Individual Tournament moved to the Kohl Center in Madison. The tournament followed the open class format through the years until 1980 when team champions were determined by A-B-C classes. Individual champions continued being determined by an open class through 1980 and thereafter on a three-class basis. Classes were renamed divisions beginning in 1990.

Until 1991-92, team championships were decided on the basis of a point system for individuals finishing first, second, etc., at the State (Individual) Tournament. Beginning in 1991-92, the team champion was determined in a separate team tournament series involving dual meets among the regional champions. The first two such State Team Tournaments were held at UW-Stevens Point. In 1994, the team tournament moved to West Allis Central High School where it remained through 2004 when it then moved to the UW Field House in Madison in 2005.

Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln has appeared in the State Team Tournament 18 times since its inception, the most of any member school. Ellsworth and Luxemburg-Casco have appeared in 16 team tournaments with Kaukauna and Lodi appearing in 15. Coleman is next on the list with 13, and Mineral Point has 10.

There have been 54 different programs that have won State team championships. Wisconsin Rapids has the most titles with 21. Luxemburg-Casco has won 12 championships, Mineral Point has 11, and Coleman has won 10. Ellsworth and Stoughton are next on the list with eight, and Milwaukee South has won seven team titles. Athens has won the team championship six times.

Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln won seven consecutive titles from 1995 through 2001. Five of Milwaukee South's titles came in succession from 1950-54. Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln has also strung together five straight titles from 2003-07, as well as four straight from 2009-2012. Four of Mineral Point's titles came in succession from 1980-83, as was Kaukauna's from 2014-17. Winning three times in a row were Milwaukee Washington (1940-42), Coleman (1962-64 and 2010-12), Stoughton (1975-77), East Troy (1986-88), Athens (1993-95), Luxemburg Casco (2001-03) and Mineral Point (2007-09).

Matt Hanutke of Pittsville, Kraig Underwood of Athens, Brian Slater of New Lisbon, Scott Hady of North Crawford, Kevin Black of River Falls, Josh Miller of Arcadia and Cole Wunnicke of Ithaca, Bobby Wunnicke of Dodgeville, Zac Cibula of Luxemburg-Casco, Nick Hagar of Tomahawk, Jesse Thielke of Germantown, Jarod Donar of Cuba City/Southwestern, Jens Lantz of Ellsworth and Hunter Marko of Amery, Jeremy Schoenherr of Stratford and Sam Stuhl of Prescott and Ellsworth are the only 15 wrestlers that have won four State individual titles.
 
Sixty-three other wrestlers have won three individual championships.

Mineral Point has produced the most individual State titles with 50. Stoughton has produced 49 individual champions, and Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln has produced 44, while 39 championships have been claimed by Luxemburg-Casco and Milwaukee South, and 34 individual crowns are possessed Coleman.