Fran McCann is one of the most successful wrestling coaches in Indiana State history and one of six Sycamore legends who will be inducted into the 20th Class of the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday. The event is sponosred by Old National Bank.
"I am really excited," McCann said. "There are just so many different memories from my time at Indiana State."
Three coaches who guided Sycamore teams to numerous post-season appearances and three athletes who consistently competed on the national level were selected for induction into the 20th Class including McCann, Jessica Crowder (Wayton), Jack Effner, Aubrey Herring, Dennis Raetz, and Bob Warn.
The induction ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Heritage Ballroom of the Tirey Hall on the campus of Indiana State University. The six inductees will also be recognized during halftime of the Indiana State Homecoming football game on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Sycamores will take on Western Illinois starting at 3:00 p.m.
McCann served as the wrestling coach at Indiana State University from 1977 to 1984. The Sycamores posted a 71-45-1 record during his eight years at the school with Indiana State posting a single season record 15-2 mark and their highest finish at the NCAA Championships (seventh) during the 1982 campaign. His teams also finished second at the Midwest Regional twice.
He coached several All-Americans at Indiana State including three-time All-American Bruce Baumgartner who won the National Championship in 1982 and finished second in 1980 and 1981. He also coached two-time All-American Bob Dickman who was seventh in 1982 and third in 1983 and recruited Jack Effner who earned All-American honors twice, placing sixth in 1985 and fifth in 1986.
"One thing that really stands out for me is when we were at the NCAA convention to receive a top five award," McCann said. There we were, sitting at the main table with all these great athletes. To be there was just great."
McCann has special memories from each of his athletes and some of those memories will be addressed during his induction speech next Thursday.
"These kids had a good work ethic, were not afraid of hard work, and were very dedicated to their sport and to their school," McCann said. "I look at these guys with their great work ethic and see that each one is very successful in their lives today. They are great family men, great parents and outstanding in their occupations. They are a real credit to Indiana State and that reflects back on their time in school which also says a lot about the school."
McCann was a four-time qualifier for the Illinois high school state tournament and a four-time Chicago city wrestling champions. His collegiate career began at Oklahoma State which was the top collegiate wrestling program at that time where he placed second in the Big Eight conference tournament. He later transferred to the University of Iowa before his junior season to be closer to home and earned All-American honors in the 115 pound class with a fourth place finish in the 1962 NCAA Championship.
He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University where he earned his Bachelor's Degree. He later earned his Master's from St. Cloud State in Minnesota and then accepted the head coaching job at Winona State University. His teams posted a 50-20 record during his eight seasons (1968-1976) including a 15-0-1 mark in 1970. He was named the NAIA National Wrestling Coach of the Year after leading Winona State to third place at the NAIA Championships.
After leaving Indiana State, McCann coached at the University of Notre Dame where the Irish were 50-53-1 from 1984 until 1993 when the sport was suspended. He is currently an instructor in Physical Education and Wellness at the University of Notre Dame.
McCann was inducted into the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1986, the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1990, the Winona State University Hall of Fame in 2007, and received a Lifetime of Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2007.
He is fifth member of the Indiana State wrestling team to be inducted into the ISU Athletics Hall of Fame and joins Jack Effner as a member of the 2011 Class. Past inductees include: Bruce Baumgartner (1998), Bob Ferraro (2004), and Doug Reifsteck (2006).
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- Head Coach of Sycamores for eight seasons, posting a 71-45-1 record
- Coached Sycamores to best single season record (15-2) and highest finish at NCAA National Championships (seventh) in 1982.
- Coached five NCAA All-Americans, 1982 NCAA National Champion and a Olympic Gold Medalist
- Led Sycamores to second place finish at Midwest Regional
- NCAA All-American at 115 pounds as student-athlete at Iowa (1961, 1962)
- Coached at Winona State University (1968-1976)
- posting 50-20 record including 15-0-1 in 1970
- NAIA National Wrestling Coach of the Year (1970)
- Indiana High School Wrestling Hall of Fame (1987)
- NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame (1990),
- National Wrestling Hall of Fame, (2007)
- Coached at University of Notre Dame (1984-1993)
- Inducted into Hall of Fame October 13, 2011
