Lifetime Service Bill wrestled both his junior and senior years under the guidance of Hall of Famer Jim Bowers at Bloomington High School. Upon graduation in 1961 Bill headed off to Eastern Illinois University in Charleston to wrestle for Illinois Hall of Fame member Hop Pinther. From 1961 through 1965 Bill was a successful member of the Panther wrestling program. In 1965 he won the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and went on to a sixth place finish in the 1965 NAIA Wrestling Tournament. With his degree from Eastern firmly in hand his career trail took him to Roanoke-Benson High School in Roanoke, Illinois. The year was 1968. It was in Roanoke where he was able to start the school's fledgling wrestling program. After four years and a 20-3 record, Bill moved on to El Paso High School. At El Paso his teams won 76 dual meets during the next six seasons while dropping only thirty-two. Although a successful coach in his own right, officiating became Bill's greatest calling. From 1967 until 2003, Bill Marquardt officiated various levels of wrestling in Illinois. In his 36 years of officiating Bill has worked a combined number of 22 IHSA Individual and Team Dual Finals. Additionally, during this period he managed to "squeeze in" a goodly number of intercollegiate matches. High school and college matches were not Bill's only venue. He spent a great deal of officiating time with the kids programs throughout central Illinois. Officiating at many USA Kids events, Bill found himself assigned to the Illinois Elementary School Association from 1992 through 1995. Bill also served on the IESA Wrestling Advisory Board from 1993 through 1995. In 1997 IESA honored Bill for his dedication and professionalism in the realm of officiating by selecting him as their Grand Marshall for the IESA State Finals. For his excellent efforts as an official Bill was additionally acknowledged during the 1984-85 season as Central Illinois' Official-of-the-Year. Several years later (1998) Bill was further honored by being selected by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association as the statewide Official-of-the-Year. One year later, 1999, Bill was inducted into the IWCOA's Hall of Fame. Bill's contributions to the wrestling community extend beyond coaching and officiating. Like many in our sport, Bill harbors the desire to "give back" something to the sport. Consequently, Bill has been quite involved in issues away from the mat. As a clinician, Bill, working with other IWCOA members, help start the down state officiating clinics for both officials and coaches in the early 1990s. Bill further serves the sport of wrestling by volunteering his service to the IWCOA Executive Board, serving as a weigh-in official at the IHSA State Finals since 2004 and, since its inception, sitting on the Board of Directors for the newly established Midwest National Wrestling Tournament.