Hall of Fame Inductees
- Induction:
- 2011
Wrestling 1994-98
Mitch Clark lettered for Ohio State from 1994-98. It was in 1998 Clark delivered one of the most impressive individual seasons in Ohio State wrestling history under former head coach Russ Hellickson. As a senior, the Canton, N.Y., native won the NCAA title (177 pounds) after finishing second the previous season. En route to winning the Buckeyes’ eighth individual national title, Clark defeated Vertus Jones by a technical fall (2:58) in the first period of the championship match, becoming the first wrestler in NCAA history to accomplish such a feat.A two-time All-American, Clark finished his collegiate career with a 119-27 record. His 119 victories were good for seventh place all-time at Ohio State upon the conclusion of the 1998 season. As well, the two-time Big Ten champion and two-time All-Big Ten recipient (1997 and 1998) owned the eighth-best Buckeye winning percentage (.815) following his senior season.
In 1998, Clark was named team captain for the second consecutive year and went on to lead the squad in wins with 39 vs. one loss. With a .975 win percentage during the 1998 campaign, Clark finished third at Ohio State in that category. Additionally, he set a program season record in team points with 181.5, bringing his career total to 454.5, also an Ohio State record.
The ninth wrestler to be inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame and fifth in the past 11 years, Clark graduated from Ohio State with a bachelor’s degree in sports management. After his championship season, Clark began the first of eight years as a volunteer and assistant coach for the Scarlet and Gray in 1999.
