Simon Roberts - Image courtesy of https://www.iowawrestlinghalloffame.com/inductee/simon-roberts

Simon Roberts - Image courtesy of https://mwolverine.com/Big_Ten_Wrestling_History.html

Contact us if you have a better photo of Simon Roberts. Ideally, looking for good quality, close-up action photos where you can see their face.

Is Simon Roberts one of your favorites?
Login above to cast your vote!

Have you met Simon Roberts?
Login above to keep track

Simon Roberts

Position(s): 147

HIGH SCHOOL: Simon Roberts attended Central High School and lived in or near Davenport, Iowa. He won sectional and district titles at 133 pounds in 1953, and repeated the feat in 1954. He kept winning, becoming the first African-American to ever win an Iowa State High School wrestling championship in 1954 at 133 pounds, and also won the YMCA Invitational Championship in 1954. He was also the Iowa AAU champion at 137 pounds in 1954 and 1955. He finished 43-6-3 in his high school career.

COLLEGE: He finished 3rd in the Big Ten in 1956, and 2nd in the Big Ten in 1957, and won the 1957 NCAA Championships at 147 pounds, becoming the fist African-American national champion in NCAA Wrestling history. He entered the tournament as a 6-seed, then upset the 2nd and 4th seeds. He returned for the 1958 season and won the Big Ten Championship. He finished his Iowa career with a record of 62-8-4. He was also a team captain in 1957.

OTHER: He entered the coaching ranks in 1966, coaching wrestling at Alleman High School is Rock Island, Illinois, until 1970. He was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1988, Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007.

All American: 1st (1957)