Michael Hagerty has truly made his mark on the sport of wrestling. With more than 25 years of experience as an NCAA Division I official, he is recognized as one of the best collegiate referees in the nation. He has worked the NCAA Division I Championships from 2003 to 2017, including 11 finals matches. He officiated 14 NCAA Division II Championships and was the head official four times.

Hagerty has refereed 16 Big 12 Championships, seven Pac-12 Championships and two National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star matches. He also worked two NAIA Championships and has officiated an NCAA Division III Championship.

Hagerty founded the Inter-Collegiate Wrestling Officials Association in 2015 and continues to serve as the organization’s Executive Director. He was president of the NCAA National Wrestling Coaches Association in 1989 and was a member of its Board of Directors from 1996 to 2001.

He also serves as a coach for USA Wrestling and was on the coaching staff of the Olympic training camps in 2012 and 2016. Hagerty has been a USA World Team coach six times and coached the 2015 U.S. World University Team, which won the nation’s first World University Championship. Hagerty has twice been named USA Wrestling Developmental Coach of the Year and was also the chairperson of Missouri USA Wrestling from 1983 to 1989.

Hagerty coached at the University of Central Missouri for seven seasons and had two national champions, 10 All-Americans and 25 national qualifiers, and he was named the Midwest Regional Coach of the Year twice. As the longtime wrestling coach at Blue Springs High School, he has led his team to three Missouri state championships.

As a wrestler competing for Central Missouri State University, he qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in 1981.

For his excellence as an official and his long commitment to the sport of wrestling, Michael Hagerty is honored as a Meritorious Official by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.