One of Minnesota's All-Time greatest wrestling coaches and innovators was Bill Demaray. The original coach of the Apple Valley High School "Wrestling Dynasty" helped create many innovative concepts that greatly enhanced wrestling in Minnesota. Longtime fellow Apple Valley High school Wrestling Coach Jim Jackson describes Coach Demaray's contribution to wrestling stating: "Bill was innovative with his practices, lineups and the entire sport of wrestling. He helped organize and develop the Minnesota vs Iowa High School All-Star meet, Ninth Grade and Under League, the Minnesota State Tournament "Three-Class" system and one of the state's first large "open" tournaments in the Apple Valley Open. He was clearly a founder in the development and advancement of success of wrestling in Minnesota." Bill was raised in the small town of Casselton, North Dakota, just 25 miles west of Fargo. He attended North Dakota state University after high school where he excelled in the sport of wrestling, becoming a two-time NCAA ll National Champion in 1971 and 1972, and a 4-time All-American. He placed 6th in the NCAA II as a sophomore. As a junior became an NCAA l All-American, placing 6th, becoming the first NDSU wrestler ever to accomplish this feat. Bill was also a 3-time North Central Conference Champion. All this was done wrestling for the legendary Coach Bucky Maughan. Demaray wrestled at 158, 167 and 177 lbs. He had a college career record of 69-7, graduating in 1972. Upon graduation Demaray first served as an Assistant Wrestling Coach for two years at Fargo South High School. He then moved his family to Minnesota taking on a head coaching position at Richfield High School in Richfield, MN. After one year at Richfield, Demaray was named the first Head Wrestling Coach at Apple Valley High School in 1976. At Apple Valley Demaray's teams won six State Team titles, and later as an assistant totaled 20 State Team Titles, an accomplishment unmatched by any coach in Minnesota State High School League history. Beyond the six State Titles the Eagles won 16 Lake Conference titles, 15 Section Team Titles with 18 individual State Champions, and a team record of 407-70-4. His wrestlers produced 4 college National Championships and 20 All Americans. At all his schools he coached at he also served as an Assistant Coach in football. Both Apple Valley and Richfield had great success in that sport too during Demaray's assistant coaching years. Apple valley Football won two State titles and four runner-up finishes. After securing a Master's Degree from the University of St. Thomas in Athletic Administration, Demaray became Athletic Director at Apple Valley High School. He later moved into the position of Head Weight Coach at AVHS. This innovator well served the wrestlers, coaches and wrestling community by developing the Ninth grade League and under Wrestling League and serving as it's founding Director. Demaray also served as President and Secretary for the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association. He also served on the MSHSL Advisory committee, served as Coordinator for the MSHSL State Wrestling Tournament and developed youth wrestling programs and junior high conferences throughout the metro area. He also had input on Section realignment, the 3-Class system and the State tournament's format. Numerous honors followed Bill's success as a coach. He received He received National wrestling "Coach of the Year" honors from three different sources, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the National High School Coaches Association and Wrestling USA Magazine. He was two-time Minnesota wrestling "Coach of the Year." Demaray has been inducted into the NDSU Athlettic Hall of Fame, the North Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Dave Bartelma-Minnesota Wrestling Hall of Fame and the MSHSL Hall of Fame. The Demaray legacy lived on in his sons Chad and Matt. Chad was a State participant for Apple Valley and helped the powerful Eagle Wrestling teams at the state tournament. Matt became a 3-time Minnesota State Wrestling Champion for his father's Apple Valley team and went on to become a two-time NCAA l National Champion, wrestling for the University of Wisconsin. Bill Demaray brought great ideas to wrestling in Minnesota along with great recognition on a national level. He will definitely go down as one of the greatest high school coaches in Minnesota history and one of the nation's top coaches as well!