Jake Varner Into National Wrestling Hall Of Fame

STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2022, featuring Iowa State wrestling legend Jake Varner as one of four Distinguished Members set to be inducted.

Varner joins an elite club of Iowa State wrestlers who have been inducted as distinguished members. He joins the ranks of Carl Adams, Glen Brand, Harold Nichols, Dan Gable, George Martin, Ben Peterson, Dick Barker, Nate Carr, Kevin Jackson, Larry Hayes, Les Anderson, Cael Sanderson, Chris Taylor and Ron Gray – all of whom are Distinguished Members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Jake Varner's incredible Cyclone career ended with the native of Bakersfield, Calif. as a four-time All-American and two-time NCAA Champion, bringing home national titles in 2009 and 2010. He racked up a 121-10 record during his collegiate career – the fifth-best winning percentage (92.4%) in ISU history.

Varner was twice honored as Iowa State's Male Athlete of the Year. Varner also won Olympic gold in 2012 concluding a stellar year that saw him also win gold at the Pan American Games and a bronze medal at the Ivan Yarygin Memorial International.

The Cyclone great was recently honored as a member of the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame Varner, who received his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Iowa State, has been an assistant wrestling coach at Penn State University since 2016.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame will announce its Outstanding American honoree at a later date.

Varner's induction ceremony will be held at the 45th Honors Weekend on June 3-4, 2022 in Stillwater, Oklahoma.