Former SCSU Wrestling Coach to Receive National Honor

ST. CLOUD -- The former head wrestling coach at St. Cloud State University is getting a national honor. John Oxton has been selected to receive the "Lifetime Service Award" from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Oxton was the head coach of the Huskies from 1967 through 1987.

He credits a lot of his success at the program with the strong wrestling environment in Minnesota.

That's what I have always said, If I could get the best wrestlers within 85 miles of St. Cloud I could win the national championship.  I didn't always get the best ones. A lot of them went other places because there are so many good collegiate wrestling programs.  Minnesota wrestlers have done very well, and they continue to do well.

He says while the sport hasn't changed much since he retired, the job has.

I don't know if a lot has changed.  I wouldn't want to coach today because it has changed from a recruiting standpoint.  I'm not so sure the technique has changed a lot.

His teams had five top 10 NCAA finishes during his career. Oxton's career record at SCSU was 167-120-9. Thirty-four of his wrestlers earned All-America honors.

He'll receive his award during a banquet in Austin, Minnesota on April 21St.

The current SCSU wrestling team is still a national power, they are currently ranked #1 in the nation in Division II and recently won the National Duals Tournament in Indiana.