Hall of Fame
Bob Pynchinka was a two-sport star at Indiana State competing in wrestling and football during his playing days from 1963 to 1967. He was also a respected coach and a veteran school administrator who has kept close ties with his alma mater. He was inducted into the 22nd Class of the Indiana State Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct., 3, 2013.
Pychinka earned six varsity letters and two junior varsity letters while competing in both football and wrestling during his undergraduate career at Indiana State from 1963 to 1968. His association with Indiana State did not end there as he returned to serve as an assistant football coach under Jerry Huntsman and Tom Harp from 1970-78.
He was also a member of the Indiana State University Alumni Board of Directors (2010-2012). A past president of the I-Men’s Club and Phi Epsilon Kappa (Physical Education fraternity), Pychinka received his Master’s from Indiana State in 1970 and his Doctorate in 2005.
He was captain of the Sycamore football team in 1965 and 1966 while earning All-Indiana Collegiate Conference honors as a linebacker both years. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound was not only intimidating on defense as a linebacker, he was also a standout on the Sycamore wrestling team, winning three Indiana Collegiate Conference championships and earning three All-Indiana Collegiate Conference recognitions.
Pychinka also won several other championships as a wrestler for the Sycamores including thee Big State Wrestling Championships, a Case 41 Championship, and was the Indiana AAU Wrestling Champion (1967-68). He also competed in two NCAA Wrestling Championships. His athletic accomplishments led to his being named the Indiana State Athlete of the Year in 1967 and the recipient of the McMiillan Award in 1965.
Nicknamed “Chico”, Pychinka was an assistant football and wrestling coach at Calumet High School for two seasons where his freshmen team finished 5-2-1. He returned to his Alma Mater in 1970 as an assistant football coach working with the defensive line for four years with head coach Jerry Huntsman and serving two seasons as the defensive coordinator for Tom Harp working primarily with the linebackers and defensive ends.
Pychinka worked in the education field after leaving Indiana State and retired in 2006 as assistant superintendent of Northwestern Consolidated School District. He remains active in the education field by serving the public as a legislative liaison for the Indiana Association of School Principals.
Pychinka is the 30th multi-sport athlete to be inducted into the Hall of Fame and the third athlete to have competed in both football and wrestling. He is also the 30th football player and eighth wrestler to be inducted.
