Wrestling — Men
The Ivy League usually sees gold when it sends a wrestler to the Olympics. Of the five medals Ivy wrestlers have earned, four have been gold.
Yale’s George Dole won a gold at 62 kg in 1908, while 1920 saw Cornell’s Charley Ackerly win gold in the same weight class. That same year, Penn’s Sam Gerson took silver at 62 kg.
At the next Summer Games, Brown’s John Spellman won gold for his performance in the 90 kg weight class. After a 76-year layoff, the Ivy League finally won another Olympic wrestling medal when Penn’s Brandon Slay captured the gold at 76 kg at the 2000 Sydney Games. Slay’s opponent tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs and the Penn star was actually awarded his gold medal on the Today Show after the Games.
Most recently, Harvard grappler Nate Ackerman suited up for Great Britain in Athens ’04.
| Name (School) | Country | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Charley Ackerly (Cornell ’20) • | United States | 1920 |
| Nate Ackerman (Harvard ’00) | Great Britain | 2004 |
| David Auble (Cornell ’60) | United States | 1964 |
| George Dole (Yale ’06) • | United States | 1908 |
| Andrew Fitch (Yale ’59) | United States | 1964 |
| Sam Gerson (Penn ’24) • | United States | 1920 |
| Bill Johnson (Columbia ’23) | United States | 1924 |
| Milton McWilliam (Cornell ’24) | United States | 1924 |
| Brandon Slay (Penn ’98) • | United States | 2000 |
| John Spellman (Brown ’24) • | United States | 1924 |
| Walter Wright (Cornell ’24) | United States | 1924 |
• Gold Medal (also indicated by bold name)
• Silver Medal
• Bronze Medal
