Lennie Zalesky

A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Lennie Zalesky was a state champion for Cedar Rapids Prairie High School.

He was a three-time All-American and three-time Big Ten champion who helped the University of Iowa win four straight NCAA team championships. After a fourth-place finish as a sophomore, Zalesky went 73-2-1 as a junior and senior while advancing to the NCAA finals at 142 pounds both seasons.

He won the Henry Deglane Tournament in Nice, France in 1983 and the Cerro Pelado International Tournament in Cuba in 1986 while capturing silver medals at the 1983 Pan American Games, the 1984 World Cup, the 1984 Tbilisi Tournament and the 1983 Canadian Cup.

Zalesky received bachelor’s degrees in finance, education and Russian language from Iowa while earning his master’s degree in Slavic linguistics and literature from the University of Indiana.

After coaching at his alma mater from 1986-90, he spent eight seasons as the head wrestling coach at Palmer High School in Palmer, Alaska. Zalesky was inducted into the Alaska Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010.

He then coached nine years at the University of California at Davis, being named Pac-10 Coach of the Year in 2007. Zalesky was head coach at California Baptist University from 2011 until his retirement in 2022.

He was named NCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 2017 and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2016.

Awards:

Year
2023
Award
Glen Brand Inductee
Chapter/Region
National
Year
2022
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
California

All American Awards:

Season
1982
School
Iowa
Tournament
Division I
Weight
142
Place
2
Season
1981
School
Iowa
Tournament
Division I
Weight
142
Place
2
Season
1980
School
Iowa
Tournament
Division I
Weight
142
Place
4

All Coaching Dual Records:

Season
2010
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
15
Wins
3
Losses
12
Ties
0
Win PCT.
20
Season
2009
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
13
Wins
7
Losses
6
Ties
0
Win PCT.
53.85
Season
2008
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
12
Wins
4
Losses
8
Ties
0
Win PCT.
33.33
Season
2007
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
15
Wins
8
Losses
7
Ties
0
Win PCT.
53.33
Season
2006
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
17
Wins
8
Losses
9
Ties
0
Win PCT.
47.06
Season
2005
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
12
Wins
6
Losses
5
Ties
1
Win PCT.
50
Season
2004
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
15
Wins
6
Losses
9
Ties
0
Win PCT.
40
Season
2003
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
14
Wins
7
Losses
7
Ties
0
Win PCT.
50
Season
2002
School
California-Davis
Division
Division I
Duals
0
Wins
0
Losses
0
Ties
0
Win PCT.
0
Season
Career
Duals
113
Wins
49
Losses
63
Ties
1
Win PCT.
43.36

All Rankings:

Season
1982
Rank Date
12/14/1981
Weight
142
Rank
1
School
Iowa
Season
1982
Rank Date
12/31/1981
Weight
142
Rank
1
School
Iowa
Season
1982
Rank Date
01/18/1982
Weight
142
Rank
1
School
Iowa
Season
1982
Rank Date
01/31/1982
Weight
142
Rank
1
School
Iowa
Season
1981
Rank Date
02/26/1981
Weight
142
Rank
1
School
Iowa
Season
1981
Rank Date
03/12/1981
Weight
142
Rank
1
School
Iowa

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