Ex-Hawk receives honor from USA Wrestling

By J.T. Bugos

Former Iowa wrestler and current Iowa City West High head coach Mark Reiland was named the 2010 Junior Person of the Year by USA Wrestling. The award goes to a nationally respected leader who works with athletes in grades nine through 12.

Reiland has served as head wrestling coach at West for 12 years, and during that time, he has won four state dual-meet titles, two traditional state team titles, and eight Mississippi Valley Conference Tournament titles.

He has also been named the Southeast Iowa District 3A Coach of the Year five times, and he and his staff were named Coaches of the Year in the conference three times, including the 2010 season.

Reiland has also coached five Junior National champions, 18 Junior All-Americans, six Cadet National champions, and 19 Cadet All-Americans in Fargo during the past eight years.

“The biggest thing is that we do this for the kids,” he said in a release. “It is rewarding for that purpose. You don’t get into this sport for awards or to be recognized by your peers. It is the athletes who are driving me to do more for the sport.”

As a Hawkeye grappler, Reiland was an NCAA champion and two-time All American from 1989-1992. His 44 wins during the 1990-91 season ranks third all-time in Iowa history for wins in a single season, and his 45 career pins ranks eighth all-time.

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