Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference

The 1963 Western State College wrestling team made school history – winning the school’s first-ever National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) national championship. Led by the efforts of Hall of Fame head coach Tracy Borah, the Mountaineers held off Southern Illinois (62-57) to win the inaugural College Division title. Van Doughty (115 pounds), Al Rende (123), Bob Hollingshead (130), Joe Oldfield (137), Truman Sandlin (147), Denny Beaver (167), Jess Miller (177), Al Rozman (191) and Joe Kuhn (HWT) represented the Mountaineers at the national meet. Doughty stole the show as he cruised to the national championship with a perfect 3-0 record. The rest of Western’s traveling squad were not far behind. Hollingshead, Sandlin, Rozman and Kuhn all finished second, Oldfield was third and Rende and Beaver finished fourth. Miller didn’t compete because of an injury at the Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Tournament (MIWA). The MIWA was the brainchild of Borah and three other gentlemen. Many considered it  tougher then the national championships because not only were there many high level College Division teams, but the tourney also featured high quality University Division teams. Borah’s Mountaineers won the tourney in its first year of existence. Western not only won the tourney, but rolled to the title by 23 points over Colorado State. Hollingshead, Beaver and Kuhn all claimed championships. The impressive run during the regular season included victories over Utah (25-6), Utah State (39-0), Brigham Young (21-5) and a 19-11 victory over fifth-ranked Colorado State before 1,700 hysterical fans at Mountaineer Gym. Doughty was named an NCAA All-American, while Hollingshead, Miller and Kuhn were Wrestling News Honorable Mention All-Americans.