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 Robert Mendenhall (left) receives his award from Mike Clair, State Chapters Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
Robert Mendenhall -- "Outstanding West Virginian"
Bob Mendenhall was undefeated his senior year under the tutelage of Parkersburg High School legend Jim Scott. While there, he won two State Championships. During college under Steve Harrick at West Virginia University, Bob finished his freshman, sophomore, and senior years undefeated and qualified for nationals his senior year. In 1994, he was inducted into the West Virginia University Wrestling Hall of Fame. As an outstanding official, Bob referred the West Virginia State High School Wrestling Tournament from 1951 to 1956. In the late 1960's, Bob was instrumental in jump starting Linsly School's wrestling program. Not only did he give guidance in hiring the coach, he purchased their mat and worked out with all the wrestlers. He was also a visionary and assisted sponsoring and running the first freestyle tournament and foreign exchange competitions in the Ohio Valley in the 1970's. Most recently, Bob was one of the key benefactors in re-initiating the wrestling program at Bridgeport (WV) High School in 2004. Bob has never stopped supporting the sport of wrestling that has played an important role in his life. Bob Mendenhall has been the president and CEO of WV-Ohio Motor Sales, Inc. for 53 years. For his efforts as an astute businessman, Bob was elected to the Mack Truck National Advisory Council. Bob and his devoted wife of over fifty years, Sue Ann are the parents of a daughter, Sandy, and three sons, George, Bobby, and Thomas. They are the proud grandparents of eleven beautiful grandchildren. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Robert Mendenhall with a "Outstanding West Virginian" award, class of 2011. |
Larry Chambers (left) receives his award from Mike Clair, State Chapters Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
Larry Chambers -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Larry Chambers, who coached wrestling in the Marshall County school system from 1966 until 1996, was the 1996 recipient of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference's prestigious Mr. Mat Award. Coach Chambers was the wrestling coach at Union High School from 1966 to 1969. While there, his 1968 wrestling team placed fourth in the Ron Mauck OVAC Wrestling Tournament, placing five wrestlers including an OVAC finalist. In the 1969-70 school year, Coach Chambers took over the newly established Moundsville Junior High wrestling program. During his tenure in this capacity, Larry Chamber's teams won numerous OVAC Junior High titles and turned in many undefended dual meet seasons. For his efforts, Coach Chambers was named the first OVAC Junior High Coach of the Year. Coach Chambers was truly a maker of champions. Eleven of his Moundsville "Trojans" went on to win OVAC individual titles at John Marshall High School. Furthermore, ten former Moundsville Junior high School wrestlers became eventual West Virginia State Champions. Not only has coach Chambers directed numerous OVAC Junior High Tournaments, he also directed the first PAC-8 Junior High Wrestling Championships in 1976. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Larry Chambers with a "Lifetime Service to Wrestling" Award, class of 2011. |
 Jack Cullen (left) receives his award from Mike Clair, State Chapters Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
Jack Cullen -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Jack Cullen began wrestling at Point Pleasant Junior High in the ninth grade and then wrestled for Point Pleasant High School. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Point Pleasant High School recently as a coach. Jack attended West Virginia University and received a Bachelors Degree in Secondary Science Education and then a Masters Degree in Education Administration. Jack began coaching wrestling as head coach his first year of teaching at Central Preston High School in 1980. For the next two years, he was the assistant wrestling coach at Morgantown High School. In the fall of 1983, he became the head wrestling coach at Point Pleasant High School. For 26 years, he served as the head coach. In 1990, Jack, along with David Darst started the Mason County Youth Wrestling League and held the first Mason County Open Wrestling Tournament. This served as an instrumental factor in contributing to the success of wrestling at Point Pleasant High School. After the 2009 season, Jack stepped down as the head coach and returned in 2010 as an athletic assistant for Point Pleasant wrestling. In 30 years of coaching, Jack has 307 dual match victories, has coached three All-Americans, 11 State Champions and 65 All-State Wrestlers along with eight top ten team finishes. His teams won three straight West Virginia State Runner-Up Titles from 2007-2009. As an assistant coach in 2010, Point Pleasant won the WV AA-A State Championship. Jack was honored as the 2008 AA-A WV Wrestling coach of the Year. In 2009, he was honored as the National Mid-East Sectional Coach of the Year. The Mid-East Section includes seven states and the District of Columbia. Currently, Jack is employed as the Administrative Assistant and Secondary Curriculum Coordinator for Mason County Schools. Jack and his wife, Joann married for 31 years are the parents of two children, a son Justin and daughter Jordan. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Jack Cullen with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2011. |
Phil Davis (left) receives his award from Mike Clair, State Chapters Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
Phil Davis -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Phil Davis began his wrestling career in 1971 when he started the first wrestling team at Buffalo High School in Wayne Country, West Virginia. He was the head coach in football, track and wrestling until 1989. That year he took the same three coaching positions at Chesapeake High School in Chesapeake, Ohio, directly across the river from Huntington, WV. He graduated from Marshall University in 1968 with a BA in education. Phil also has a Masters degree in counseling from Marshall. Phil coached football and track for 43 years and wrestling for 40 years until he retired in May, 2011. In 1978 his wrestling team won a Regional Championship, and finished second in the West Virginia State Tournament with three individual Champions and a Runner-Up. He was honored to be named West Virginia AA-A Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1978. His wrestling teams compiled nine Ohio Valley conference Championships, and he was named Wrestling Coach of the Year nine times. He started and ran the Panther Open Wrestling Tournament for eight years to give local wrestlers an opportunity to get off season experience close to home. This spring Phil was named the Lowell Cade Sportsperson of the Year by Citizens Awards Committee of the Huntington Herald-Dispatch. In July he was inducted into the Ohio High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame. Phil is an avid fly fisherman and fly tyer. He also enjoys reading, golf, and kayak fishing. Phil and his wonderful wife, Helen married for 42 years are the proud parents of one daughter, Gina, and two sons, Scott and Brian. They have three wonderful grandsons, Chase, Andrew and Corey. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Phil Davis with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2011. |
Dr. Miller (left) receives his award from Mike Clair, State Chapters Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
Dr. Timothy Miller, M.D. -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Timothy C. Miller, MD is the editor and creator of the Internet website "WV-Mat -- The West Virginia Wrestling Page." The website has been online since 1996, and has enjoyed a steady growth in popularity and content since its inception. The website attracts 30,000 to 40,000 unique visitors per month during wrestling season, with over 100,000 visits per month. Dr. Miller is a native of Calhoun County West Virginia and a 1972 graduate of Spencer High School. He obtained his undergraduate degree at West Virginia University (Phi Beta Kappa), and Medical Degree from the West Virginia School of Medicine in 1979. He finished his training in General Surgery in 1984, and has been in private practice in Medicine and Surgery at Preston Memorial Hospital in Kingwood West Virginia since 1984. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Miller has been the recipient of the West Virginia Wrestling Coaches Association Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year Award in 1997 and 2004, and received a Special Award at the 2000 WVSSAC State Wrestling Tournament. He has been a Wrestling USA Magazine State-of-the-Year Award Winner in 1997 and 2007. In 2010 he was honored by having his name attached to the West Virginia Wrestling Coaches Association Wrestling Sportswriter of the Year Award, now known as the Snyder - Miller Media Award, named for Miller and the late Jim Snyder, legendary sports editor for the Parkersburg News. Dr. Miller has been associated with wrestling as a youth coach, tournament director, and booster, for over 20 years. Dr. Miller resides in Kingwood West Virginia with his wife of 34 years, Mary Kay (Rossano) Miller. They have three sons, Nathan, Mark, and Daniel, all of whom wrestled from Youth through High School. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Dr. Timothy Miller with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2011. |
 Tom Woods (left) receives his award from Mike Clair, State Chapters Executive Director, National Wrestling Hall of Fame. |
Tom Woods -- "Lifetime Service to Wrestling"
Tom Woods, a 1972 Graduate of Glenville State College, has been a very successful wrestling coach and official in West Virginia for 25 years. During his tenure on the mats, Tom has been dubbed the "gentleman's gentleman." Coach Tom Woods was the wrestling coach at Spencer High School from 1973 to 1977. While there, he posted dual meet record of 50-1. He also produced three state champions, including Matt Ashley, the first freshman state champ in WV history, who went on to be the first four time state champions under Coach Woods and Coach Garry Bender. Spencer High School's 1977 squad won the WV AA-A State Team Championship. For his efforts as mat mentor, Tom was named the LKC Coach of the Year three times as well as the Roane County Citizen of the Year in 1977. Woods' squads in '74, '76, and '77 were LKC Champions. The 1977 squad was also the AA-A Region I Champions. As an official, Tom Woods was known for his professional demeanor and consistency on the mats. He refereed 16 WV State Tournaments and six Maryland State championships. In 1993, Tom was named the WV State Official of the Year. Additionally, Tom was named as a member of the Maryland High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006 after a 19 year career as the Head Coach at Southern Garrett High School. Tom retired in 2008 after a 31 year career at Southern Garrett High School in Oakland, MD. He served as Head Football Coach, Athletic Director and finally as Principal during his final 8 years. Tom has been married for 41 years to his college sweetheart Debbie. They have two sons Joshua and Andrew. Joshua is married to Christina and they have 3 children -Grayer, Bella, and Parker. Andrew is married to Kyle and they have a daughter Gabby. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors Tom Woods with a "Lifetime of Service to Wrestling" award, class of 2011. |
