Darryl Burley
Darryl Burley needed only one statistic for induction into New Jersey’s Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. During his career at Lehigh University he reached the NCAA finals all four years. Since the NCAA Division I tournament began in 1947, only 17 wrestlers have accomplished that. Only four wrestlers have been four-time champions.
He finished as a two-time national champion, with only 5 losses in 100 career matches. During that time he also won a Midlands Tournament title (selected Outstanding Wrestler), as well as finishing second twice and third once.
A four-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion, one of four Lehigh wrestlers to do so, Darryl was also a two-time champion and six-time finalist at the Midlands Tournament.
A three-time dstrict champion at Pemberton High School, he went on to win two region titles and as a senior in 1979 was a state champion while being voted OW.
In 1978 he took second place in the Junior Nationals in freestyle, in 1982 took fifth place in the AAU Nationals, in 1984 placed second at the US National Open as well as taking third place in the US Olympic Trials. In 1985 he won the US National Open.
In 1983 Burley was selected Amateur Wrestler of the Year. He is in both the Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame and the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Darryl won a silver medal at the prestigious Tbilisi Tournament in 1985 after being an alternate for the United States in the 1984 Olympic Games.
He would go on to graduate from the Hofstra University School of Law, and has since coached at various wrestling clubs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including the Wrecking Crew Wrestling Club in Medford, NJ.
Currently he is a substitute teacher and assistant coach at the Cannon School in Concord, NC, and been a clinician at various university and high school camps.
Burley has also worked in the private sector, having designed, developed and implemented vocational and acute nursing skilled facilities, geared towards individuals with developmental and medical disabilities.
He is the father of two daughters, Phobelien and Arryl.
Awards:
Year
2022
|
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
|
Chapter/Region
New Jersey
|
All American Awards:
Season
1983
|
School
Lehigh
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
142
|
Place
1
|
Season
1981
|
School
Lehigh
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
134
|
Place
2
|
Season
1980
|
School
Lehigh
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
134
|
Place
2
|
Season
1979
|
School
Lehigh
|
Tournament
Division I
|
Weight
134
|
Place
1
|
College Season Records:
Season
1983
|
School
Lehigh
|
Class
Senior
|
Bouts
26
|
Wins
26
|
Losses
0
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
10
|
Win PCT.
100
|
Place
1st
|
Season
1981
|
School
Lehigh
|
Class
Junior
|
Bouts
25
|
Wins
23
|
Losses
1
|
Ties
1
|
Falls
6
|
Win PCT.
92
|
Place
2nd
|
Season
1980
|
School
Lehigh
|
Class
Sophomore
|
Bouts
24
|
Wins
22
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
7
|
Win PCT.
91.67
|
Place
2nd
|
Season
1979
|
School
Lehigh
|
Class
Freshman
|
Bouts
25
|
Wins
23
|
Losses
2
|
Ties
0
|
Falls
10
|
Win PCT.
92
|
Place
1st
|
Season
Career
|
Bouts
100
|
Wins
94
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
1
|
Falls
33
|
Win PCT.
94
|
All Rankings:
Season
1983
|
Rank Date
11/29/1982
|
Weight
142
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1983
|
Rank Date
12/13/1982
|
Weight
142
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1983
|
Rank Date
12/30/1982
|
Weight
142
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1983
|
Rank Date
02/28/1983
|
Weight
142
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1983
|
Rank Date
03/10/1983
|
Weight
142
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1981
|
Rank Date
01/26/1981
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1981
|
Rank Date
02/09/1981
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1981
|
Rank Date
02/26/1981
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|
Season
1981
|
Rank Date
03/12/1981
|
Weight
134
|
Rank
1
|
School
Lehigh
|