Maranatha's Houck earns national honor

Friday, December 28, 2007 12:42 PM CST

STILLWATER, Okla. - A former Maranatha Baptist Bible Col-lege (Watertown, Wis.) wrestler is one of four wrestlers that will be part of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum Class of 2008 Distinguished Members.

Mike Houck, a 1989 graduate of MBBC, joins Ricky Bonomo, Wayne Martin and Bobby Weaver in the class of 2008 which will be inducted during the Honors Weekend Banquet and Induction Ceremony in Stillwater May 30-31, 2008. The event will mark the 32nd anniversary class of the Hall of Fame & Museum.

Houck and Weaver made their mark within international wrestling. Weaver was a gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif., and was a 1979 world silver medalist. Houck was the first U.S. wrestler to win a gold medal at the World Greco-Roman Championships with his historic victory at the 1985 World Championships in Kolbatn, Norway.

Bonomo and Martin were among the best collegiate wrestlers of their eras, both winning three NCAA individual titles during their illustrious careers. Bonomo captured three NCAA titles for Bloomsburg University (1985-87). Martin was a three-time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma (1934-36), also winning the Outstanding Wrestler at the 1936 NCAA Championships.

Houck made U.S. wrestling history in 1985 when he became the first American Greco-Roman wrestler to win a gold medal at the world championships with his dramatic victory in Kolbatn, Norway. He competed on three U.S. world teams during his career, and won three U.S. national titles. He also won an AAU National Greco-Roman title in 1981. Twice, Houck placed second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He competed for Maranatha Baptist Bible College, winning two Christian college national titles and three All-American honors. Houck worked as U.S.A. Wrestling's National Greco-Roman Coach from 1990-95. He coached the U.S.A. to two individual medals at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. Houck was a founder and coached for the U.S. Olympic Training Center Greco-Roman Resident program, which was created in 1993 and has become internationally respected for developing champion athletes.

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