Growing up in the Perry Hall area, Mike Clemens’ wrestling career started with the

Perry Hall Junior Program. This background and Mike’s tenacity allowed him to start at 98 lbs as a ninth grader for a dominant Mount Saint Joseph Wrestling Team. As a starter for four years, he tallied eighty two wins including three straight years of placing in the MSA and a top eight finish in the prestigious National Prep Tournament. Mike also wrestled in college at Navy Prep for a year and at the United States Naval Academy for two years. He actually continued wrestling in open tournaments for the next twenty years, competing in well over a hundred matches and winning a tournament in 5 straight decades.    

Coaching, as well as wrestling, became a passion for Mike. Early in his Mt. St. Joe wrestling days, he was volunteering as a coach at Perry Hall HS. After his college days, he was head coach at St. Michaels for seven years. During that time, he was recognized with the District Eight Sportsmanship Award 3 times. Moreover, Mike officiated Novice Tournaments and also Greco and Freestyle. He also added announcing to his resume for several years in the MIA Tournament and the Mount Madness Tournament.

In addition, Mike has been a member of the Maryland State Wrestling Association for over twenty years and a board member for fifteen years. He was also the district representative for the Maryland State Wrestling Committee for five years. Besides these leadership roles, Mike has donated a tremendous amount of time to directing and helping with countless wrestling tournaments: he was a 20 year director of the Mason Dixon Quad, a five year director of the St. Michaels Tournament and three years at the helm of the State Novice Tournament, to name a few. Needless to say, Mike has been a familiar face at wrestling events across the state of Maryland.

 In 2020 mike was the recipient of the Maryland Stare Wrestling Association’s Johnny K. Eareckson Memorial Award. Mike Clemens is certainly well deserving of the National Wrestling Hall of Fames Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award.