West Virginia Wrestling

WEST VIRGINIA MAT THOUGHTS

by Dr. Bill Welker
National Wrestling Hall of Famer

Evans and Shaw Elected to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

By Dr. Bill Welker

The West Virginia Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has selected Coach Edward "Buzz" Evans and Coach Larry Shaw to be enshrined into the Hall this fall for their lifetime service.

As head coach of Wheeling Park, Edward "Buzz" Evans' achievements include producing two West Virginia AAA State Team Championships (1986 & 1987), as well as mentoring 20 Individual State Champions. Two of his wrestlers - Vinnie Monseau and Jason Taylor - were Robert Dutton Wrestler of the Year Award winners.

Coach Evans' 1990 and 1994 squads were Ron Mauck OVAC Tournament Over-all Team Champions. He also produced 15 OVAC Champions.

In 1986, his Wheeling Park wrestling team was ranked 25th in the country by Amateur Wrestling News. Coach Edward Evans was voted by the state coaches as the "West Virginia AAA Coach of the Year" in 1986 and 1987. He also was selected as the "OVAC Coach of the Year" in 1990 and 1994. And in 2000, Coach Evans received the prestigious "OVAC Mr. Mat" Award.

Coach Larry Shaw's record on the mats at Oak Glen High School is nonpareil. His Oak Glen "Golden Bears" squads have won an amazing 13 consecutive State Wrestling Championships, a record for all sports in WV. It also ranks Oak Glen tied for 5th nationally for consecutive state team titles as recorded in Wrestling USA Magazine. He was also named the "WV A-AA Coach of the Year" seven times, as well as National Coach of the Year in 2008 by Wrestling USA Magazine.

Retiring after 32 years at the helm, Larry Shaw has coached 51 state champions, and has compiled a dual meet record of 330-96-4. He was twice named the Bill Van Horne OVAC All-Sport Coach of the Year.

Coach Shaw's "Golden Bears" have won five Ron Mauck OVAC Tournament Over-all Team Championships, and he has been named an incredible 12 times as OVAC Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Coach Evans and Coach Shaw will be inducted into the most prestigious Hall in wrestling this October 31st at the Charleston Embassy Suites.
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