Dan Lewis

Coaching at the Colorado School of Mines has certainly turned into a Gold Rush for Lewis. Dan served as the head coach at mines from 1992-2002 and 2007-2008. He was also the Mine's Associate Director of Athletics during his hiatus as the head coach, but then carried the title of Co-Head Coach in 2009-2010. During the 2009-2010, Mines was ranked ninth in the NCAA, Division II Wrestling Coaches Association's All Academic top 15 list. It was the season in which the team landed three wrestlers on the Division II All-Academic Wrestling team with Jordan Larsen earning first team honors. Mines won the Academic National Championship five times (1995, 1996, 19998, 1999, and 2006), which is the second-highest amount Academic National Champions in the 17-year history of the award. Mines was ranked second in the Wrestling Coaches Association's All-Academic Top 20 in 2008-2009 with three wrestlers earning All-Academic Wrestling Team honors. Among the trio, Cody Weitzel was named to the first team with Kellen Costelow and wrestling Dylan Lewis being named Honorable Mention. Lewis began his coaching career at Louisiana State University as an assistant coach from 1980-1982. He then became the head coach at Cal State-Fullerton for the next 10 seasons. In the process, he led the Titans into the NCAA top 25 in 1990 and 1991 where seven of his wrestlers qualifying for the NCAA Championships. Lewis began his wrestling career at Fountain Valley High School in California and captured the California Interscholastic Federation championship in 1971 while posting a 30-0 record and 23 pins. He proceeded to take third place at the National High School Tournament held at Oklahoma State University. He began his college career at Orange Coast community College, where he recorded 42 pins in two seasons. As a result, he was named a two-time All-American at Orange Coast. He then transferred to Cal State-Fullerton for his final two seasons of college competition. At Cal State he was selected as the team Most Outstanding Wrestler in 1975 and 1976 after winning conference titles both years. He was 17-0-1 in dual meet competition and qualified for the NCAA Championships in 1977. He finished his career at Cal State with a school record 30 pins and an overall record, 67-6-1. His coaching career would get started at Louisiana State University as an assistant coach from 1980-1982. He then moved on to serve as the head coach at Cal State for 10 seasons. During that time he would lead the Titans into the NCAA top 25 in 1990 and 1991. During his first 10 seasons coaching the Orediggers (1992-2002), he coached four NCAA Division II National champions and 10 All-Americans. After leading the Orediggers to a seventh-place finish at the 1996 NCAA Division II National Championships, Dan was named the NCAA Division II Coach of the Year. During the 1995-1996 season, he coached a pair of national champions and three All-Americans. Mines was ranked 15th on the 2007-2008 NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic list. They moved up the list in 2009-2010, ranking ninth. It also was a season that the team landed three wrestlers on the Division II, All-Academic Wrestling Team.

Awards:

Year
2015
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Chapter/Region
Colorado

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