Ted Rupp is a product of Lancaster County and has remained an integral part of the local wrestling community since attending Franklin & Marshall Academy. Rupp graduated from F&M Academy in 1931, where he participated on the wrestling program. He then attended F&M College and graduated in 1935, having wrestled for the junior varsity and varsity teams with limited success. Rupp, who returned to F&M Academy as a teacher from 1935-43, produced four consecutive national Prep School championships and 14 individual champions, one of whom, Dick DiBatista, went on to win 2 NCAA titles for the University of Pennsylvania. Following a stint in the Navy, Rupp returned to the area as a teacher at Millersville and founded the wrestling program there. He was a volunteer coach for 12 years, never drawing a salary from the college. His teams were 76-20-2 with a winning record in all 12 years. In one year, during the 1948-49 season; he actually coached at both F&M and Millersville, going a combined 20-2. Rupp, though, is probably more famous for his accomplishments in the academic world, having taught Spanish, English and French at Millersville. It was the latter subject that brought him national and international acclaim, as he was named Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques in 1969 by the French government for his contributions to the propagation of the French culture and language. The award is the highest the French government bestows on a citizen of a foreign country. Rupp continues to remain active in athletic circles and his passion for wrestling has never faded. For these and other accomplishments, Ted Rupp is honored by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a "Lifetime Service to Wrestling" award as a coach and contributor to the growth and success of the sport.