Long-time stalwarts of the ACC, Maryland wrestling's storied history of success dates back to the beginning of the program in 1939. It didn't take long until Maryland was finishing at the top of the Southern Conference - and later the ACC - under the direction of coaching legend Sully Krouse.
Now, Maryland battles in the ultra-competitive Big Ten wrestling conference and, under the guise of fifth-year head coach Alex Clemsen, are continuing to make strides back towards the top of the nation’s premier sports conference.
For decades Maryland wrestling has featured standouts on and off the mat. Spanning more than 80 years, take a look at Maryland's glorious history:
Maryland wrestling boasts the success of its 20 All-Americans. Some of the most dominant NCAA wrestlers in recent history were Terrapins.
Two Terrapins in the history of the program have reached the pinnacle of collegiate wrestling, winning individual NCAA titles.
Under Clemsen, the Maryland wrestling program has reached its highest levels in the past decade, with each of his four teams showing marked improvement and growth from the year before. Regarded as an elite recruiter, Clemsen has lived up to that billing during his four seasons in College Park, highlighted by bringing in the eighth-ranked 2021 recruiting class.
The 2022-23 campaign was the most successful season in recent memory, as Maryland finished with a 10-9 record, the most dual wins since the 2012-13 season. Clemsen's squad also produced five 2023 NCAA Qualifiers for the highest number since 2014 in addition to picking up the program’s first ranked victory since 2013.
Maryland's wrestling team has amassed an impressive 644 dual wins since the program's inception in 1939. The team was nearly unbeatable in a remarkable 20+ year stretch from 1951-72 when the program went 137-68-8 (.662) and won 22 consecutive conference titles.
When you hear the names Douglas, McDaniel, Krouse, McHugh, Santoro, McCoy, and Clemsen, you know that there has always been an elite mentor and educator leading some of the toughest and most hardworking student-athletes in College Park.
