Courtesy of the NWHOF – Link
STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday that the Class of 2022 is Distinguished Members Clarissa Chun, Sara McMann, Andy Rein and Jake Varner, Meritorious Official Tom Clark (posthumously), Order of Merit Recipient Mike Moyer, and Medal of Courage recipient Melissa Simmons.
“Following an extensive screening and selection process, I am excited to announce such a notable and deserving group of honorees for 2022,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “We are fortunate to be able to spotlight these inductees who have transcended our sport’s heritage over the past 40 years. It is also a class that represents the positive transformational impact females are realizing in wrestling, with two female Distinguished Members and our first female Medal of Courage recipient.”
The Hall of Fame Board of Governors approved the selections at their meeting in Waterloo, Iowa on October 25.
The Hall of Fame will announce its Outstanding American honoree at a later date.
The induction ceremony will be held at the 45th Honors Weekend on June 3-4, 2022 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For more information on Honors Weekend, please telephone (405) 377-5243.
The Meritorious Official award recognizes outstanding service as a referee, judge, or pairing official.
Tom Clark, who passed away in 2017 at 58 years old, officiated for 35 years, beginning while attending Ohio State and continuing in Indiana. The Bluffton, Ohio native was selected as a referee for the Olympics in 2008 and worked dozens of World Championships and major international competitions at the senior level. Named Official of the Year by USA Wrestling in 1988, Clark retired after the Olympics to open up opportunities at the highest level for young, talented officials. A top high school wrestling official, he received the Indiana Interscholastic Athletic Officials Association Award for excellence in wrestling in 2007 and was the Indiana Wrestling Association Official of the Year in 2005. Clark served as a board member for the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association and was vice president of the organization at the time of his death. His commitment to wrestling was at every level, from youth to high school and on to the international level.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum
America’s shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport.
For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.
Recommended Comments