South Carolina Chapter Class of 2025 Announced
The South Carolina Chapter Inductees into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame are as follows:
Charlie Clay - Lifetime of Service
-volunteer wrestling coach at Huntington HS in WV 1967-70
-youth wrestling coach in WV and VA 1990-91
- volunteer wrestling coach at Myrtle Beach HS 1993-1998
- head wrestling coach at North Myrtle Beach HS 1998-2008
-volunteer wrestling coach at North Myrtle Beach HS 2008-10
-3A Team State Dual runners-up in 2006 and 2007
-coached 10 individual state champions
-coached 27 state placers
-coach of the 2008 SCWCA SC Wrestler of the Year
-coach of 3 USA All-Americans in 2008
-in 2004 became Director of the SCWCA North/South All-Star Wrestling Classic
Ben Connell - Outstanding American
-4x SC HS individual State Champion
-3x SC HS team State Champion
-NHSCA National Champion in 2000
-SC Wrestler of the Year in 2000
-Mr. Wrestling SC in 2000
-SC Winner of the Dave Shultz award 2000
-Southeast Winner of the Dave Shultz award 2000
-National Winner of the Dave Schultz award 2000
-Starter in the Shrine Bowl for team SC
-Student coach and then Grad assistant coach at UNC-Chapel Hill
-Recognized as one of the Best Lawyers in America 2023 and 2024
-Recognized in the South Carolina Legal Elite for 2023 and 2024
-Member of the Kershaw County Council 2016-2022
-Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives 2022-24
-Chairman of the Kershaw County Legislative Delegation 2022-24
George Dixon - Lifetime of Service
-1st South Carolina wrestling official to referee an NCAA Finals match (2013 D2)
-1st Father/Son (Ty Dixon) team to referee a SCHSL Dual Final (2A in 2024)
-One of only six in SC History to wrestle in a State Final, coach a State Final and to referee a State Final
-Refereed the 1st ever wrestling event on an aircraft carrier, Battle on the Midway in San Diego, CA
-Refereed HS/college events in 26 different states
-Initiated Video Review at NHSCA Nationals
-Initiated Video Review at Super 32 (sole video review person)
-Designed the SC Wrestling Officials Association logo
Coaching;
-Hilton Head HS assistant wrestling coach 1984-86
-Hilton Head HS head wrestling coach 1992-2000
-coached several SC State finalists and multiple State Champions
-Hilton Head HS Coach of the Year
-SCWCA Noth/South All-Stars coach
-Region Coach of the Year
-The first coach in Beaufort County with a female wrestler (Ethel Mitchell)
-Hilton Head HS assistant football coach 1992-2000
-H.E. McCracken MS football, wrestling and track coaching
-H.E. McCracken MS assistant AD
-District Coordinator for Wrestling 2000-present
HS Officiating;
-SC and GA HS wrestling referee having officiated 50+ State events
-Head Referee for the Super 32 Challenge, 16 times since 2008
-Beast of the East Official 12 times
-NHSCA Senior Finals referee 14 times (Head Ref in 2011)
-NHSCA National Duals 10 times (Head Ref 3 times)
-NHSCA Coordinator of Officials (Nationals and Duals) for the past 9 years
-AAU Scholastic Duals (Disney Duals) 14 times
-AAU Nationals 2 times
-Reno TOC HS 2 times
-NHSCA National Open 3 times
-NHSCA Preseason Nationals 3 times
-Clash Duals in Minnesota 2010
-SCWCA North/South All-Stars
-UA Ultimate's in Las Vegas (Head Ref 3 times)
-Militia Duals in Atlanta (Head Ref all 3 years)
-Knockout Christmas tournament in FL 4 times
-Eastside SC Southern Slam 5 times (Head Ref 2 times)
-May River Shark Inv (Head Ref 3 times)
-Holy Innocents Prep Slam in GA 6 times
-Hilton Head HS Seahawk Slam/Coastal Clash (Head Ref 7 years)
-Super 32 qualifiers in GA and FL
-Jazz Town Duals in New Orleans (Head Ref all 11 years)
-King of the Hills Duals in TN (Head Ref all 3 years)
College Officiating;
-NCAA/NAIA/NCWA wrestling official
-NCAA D2 Finals 2013
-10 National Qualifiers
-Southern Scuffle 13 times
-NCWA Nationals 10 times
-NCWA National Duals 2 times
-Reno TOC College 2 times
-All Military Championships 2 times
-SoCon Championships
-NWCA National Duals in Ft. Wayne IN
-JuCo Regionals
-Hokie Open 5+ times
-Newberry Duals 5+ times
-Newberry Open 5+ times
-UNC-Pembroke Open 5+ times
-King College Open
-Parisi Open in MO
-Shorter College Open
Other Accomplishments/Positions;
-2005-present Savannah/Coastal Wrestling Officials Vice-President
-2004 SC Wrestling Officials Association Vice-President
-2005 SC Wrestling Officials Association President
-2006-07 SC High School League Wrestling Official of the Year
-2009-15 Southern Officials Association President (College Assoc)
-2010-present Savannah/Coastal Wrestling Officials Training Supervisor
-2011 NHSCA Senior Nationals Head Official
-2012 SC State Tournament Evaluator
-2014 SC State Tournament Assistant Head Official
-2015 SC State Tournament Head Official and Evaluator
-2015-present Beaufort County Wrestling Officials Training Supervisor
-2016-present NHSCA Coordinator of Officials (Individual and Duals)
-2020-present SC Director of Wrestling Officials
-2020 Resurrected the SC Chapter of the National Wrestling HoF (with Carlus Mansel and Mark Buford)
-2021 SC State Tournament Head Official 2A/3A (Covid year split)
-2023 Inducted into the Hilton Head HS Athletics Hall of Fame
-2025 SC State Tournament Head Official (Expansion year to 12 mats)
Rules Clinician;
-2922 Central Florida Officials clinic (with Carlus Mansel and Steve Wertz)
-2022 South Carolina Wrestling Officials clinic
-2023 Central Florida Officials clinic (with Carlus Mansel and Jay Cox)
-2023 Indiana Wrestling Officials clinic (with Carlus Mansel)
-2023 South Carolina Wrestling Officials clinic
-2023 Georgia Wrestling Officials clinic (with Carlus Mansel, Matt Sorochinsky and Mike Chase)
-2023 Hawaii Wrestling Officials clinic (with Deno White)
-2024 Georgia Wrestling Officials clinic (with Carlus Mansel, Matt Sorochinsky, Mike Hagerty, and Nick Grasso)
-2024 South Carolina Wrestling Officials clinic
Chuck Jones - Lifetime of Service
-Positive role model in the North Charleston Community
-1983-2003 Head Wrestling coach at North Charleston HS
-1987-88 assistant coach at The Citadel
-2003-14 Assistant Wrestling coach at James Island Charter School
-7 State finalists including one State Champion
-Dozens of State qualifiers over North Charleston and James Island
-One visually impaired wrestler who won the Hanahan Invitational and was awarded Most Outstanding Wrestler
-One of the first coaches in Charleston to allow female wrestlers to join
-Coached two NCAA National qualifiers while at The Citadel
-2003-07 North Charleston Little League Dixie Youth Coach
-2002 North Charleston Track and Field Individual Champions
-2012 James Island Charter School Track and Field Individual State Champions
-2013 James Island Charter School Track and Field Individual State Champions
-Inducted into the UNC-Pembroke Athletics Hall of Fame 2016
-SC Athletics Coaches Association (former member)
-SC Wrestling Coaches Association (former member)
-SC Track and Field Coaches Association (former member)
-1979 Recipient of the Art Shell Athletic Award
-1986-2014 Clinical technician at Summer Wrestling Camps
-2003-14 Special Olympics coach
-2005-13 AAU/Freestyle Wrestling coach
-Coached and Mentored students within a diverse and inclusive environment
-3-time Finalist and 2-time HS State Champion at Bonds-Wilson
-1980 UNC-Pembroke NAIA 5th place at Nationals
-1981 UNC-Pembroke NAIA Runner-up at Nationals
-1981 UNC-Pembroke NCAA D2 4th place
-1983 Appalachian State NCAA D1 qualifier
-1984 Appalachian State NCAA D1 qualifier
Jack Kosmicki - Lifetime of Service
-1994-95 Head Wrestling coach at Southside High School
-Started the program at Southside High School
-1995-present Head Wrestling coach at Eastside High School
-1st in South Carolina for the number of dual victories (700+)
-1st in South Carolina for the number of Dual State Championships (19)
-1st in South Carolina for the number of individual State Champions (107)
-1st in South Carolina wrestling playoff victories (95)
-South Carolina Team State Individual Titles (17)
-Individual State placers (198 1st through 4th)
-30 Region Championships in 30 years of coaching
-Region Wrestling Coach of the Year (26 times)
-2-time South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association State Wrestling Coach of the Year
-5-time National Wrestling Coaches Association SC Wrestling Coach of the Year
-4-time High School Sports Report SC Wrestling Coach of the Year
-One-time NFHS SC State Coach of the Year
-One-time South Carolina Athletic Director of the Year
-Eastside High School holds four of the six SC Team records
-Most Team State Championships: 19
-Longest Consecutive State Titles streak: 9 (ongoing)
-Most Playoff Dual Meet wins: 100
-Most Individual State Champions: 107
-Longest Consecutive Dual meet streak is 2nd longest at 75 and just 15 wins from the record of 89
-South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association (30 years)
-South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association (30 years)
-South Carolina Athletic Administrators Association (6 years, current VP)
-National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (6 years)
Pat McCarthy - Lifetime of Service
-1982-98 USA Wrestling Freestyle official
-1988-present South Carolina High School official
-2004-present SCHSL State Tournament official
-Officiated several SCHSL State team dual finals
-Assistant official on several SCHSL State team dual finals
-Selected as the State Wrestling Official of the Year
-Super 32 Challenge official for 10+ years
-Past President and Vice-President for the South Carolina Wrestling Officials Association
-2005-present District 2 Director of Wrestling Officials
-2005- present Board Member for the South Carolina Wrestling Officials Association
-Coached Spring Valley freestyle club for 10 years through the 1980's into the 1990's
-Reached M2 Freestyle Officiating level
-Officiated Southeast Regionals a few times in Atlanta in the early 90's
Chip Sloan - Lifetime of Service
-1970-1993 South Carolina High School official
-College wrestling official at Clemson, Gardner Webb and Furman as well as the Sunshine Open in Florida
-1980-1993 Head Official for Upstate South Carolina
-1980-1986 Head Wrestling coach at Greer High School
-1987-1990 Volunteer Wrestling coach at Blue Ridge High School
Paul Spence - Lifetime of Service
-1986-90 Assistant Wrestling coach at Bishop England High School
-1991-present Head Wrestling Coach at Bishop England High School
-Region Wrestling Representative for 18 years
-South Carolina Wrestling Coaches board for 18 years
-Past President of the South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association
-Past Vice-President of the South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association
-160+ athletes have been State Wrestling Tournament qualifiers
-75+ athletes have placed at the State Wrestling tournament
-State Wrestling tournament Runners-up 3 times
-State Wrestling tournament 3rd place once
-14 times named as the Region Wrestling Coach of the Year
-2 wrestlers named as the State Wrestler of the Year
-2 wrestlers named as the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Individual State tournament
-10 wrestlers competed at the college level
-2 NCAA D1 qualifiers
-1 NCAA D2 qualifier
-1 NJCAA All-American
-35 years as a high school football coach
-7 years as a high school Boys and Girls track coach
-2 years as a high school soccer coach
-South Carolina Coaches Association
-South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association
-South Carolina Football Coaches Association
-United Marine Corps veteran
-2017-18 SE Region Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year
-2024 Bishop England High School Teacher of the Year
-Recipient of the Founders Award in the Boy Scouts of America
-Vigil Member of the Order of the Arrow in the Boys Scouts of America
-Boy Scouts of America volunteer for 35 years
-Eagle Scout