On June 25, 2024, National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Illinois Chapter Board Member Joe Cliffe was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The presentation was made at their annual National Convention, which was held this year in the Dakota Ballroom at the Bismarck Hotel and Convention Center in Bismark, North Dakota. Over 20 members of Joe's immediate family made the trek to North Dakota for his presentation (pictured.) This year’s class includes forty coaches from twenty-three states across the nation.

This selection was based on longevity, service to high school athletics, honors, and other specific state criteria. The National High School Athletic Coaches Association is the oldest coaches association in the nation formed by coaches, for coaches, and has honored coaches from across the nation with induction into the NHSACA National Hall of Fame since 1996.

Coach Cliffe coached for over forty years at Georgetown, Plano, Fairbury (Prairie Central) and most recently El Paso-Gridley High Schools in Illinois.  He has coached over 560 dual meet wins and eleven state champions.  He has also served on the Board of the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Official Association and was President from 2006-2007. He is currently IWCOA Treasurer.  In addition, Coach Cliffe served on the Executive Committee of the NHSACA from 2013 through 2022.   He was President of the NHSACA in 2016-17 and again in 2018-19.

Here is a direct link to Joe's NWHOF Bio.