Sports
Former Ohio Wrestler Honored as MAC Hall of Fame Inductee
By: Nick Mullens
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The Mid-American Conference announced the MAC Hall of Fame Class of 2017 on Thursday and one of the six inductees will be Ohio University alum Dwight Gardner.
Gardner, a former Ohio wrestler, was the 1998 NCAA National Champion at the 158-lb weight class his senior year, the team’s first individual national title since 1978. With a 123-27 career record, Gardner was the team’s MVP his junior and senior year. He also won the MAC Championship and the MAC Wrestler of the Year both years. He was a big part of the team’s 1997 and 1998 NCAA Tournament runs where Ohio finished in the top 10 both years. He also was a two-time All-American and the recipient of the Student-Athlete of the Year in 1998.
After being a first ballot selection to the Ohio Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003, Gardner will join an exclusive group. Gardner’s class will be the 12th MAC Hall of Fame class and Gardner will become one of the Hall’s 87 members. The other members of the 2017 class are Antonio Gates (men’s basketball, Kent State), Betsy Kuhle (women’s tennis, Western Michigan), Ron Oestrike (baseball, Eastern Michigan), Dan Majerle (men’s basketball,Central Michigan) and Jen Brown-Mascari (field hockey, Ball State).
Gardner and the five other members of his class will be inducted on Wednesday, May 31 at 6 p.m. at the Cleveland Renaissance Hotel during the MAC Honor’s Dinner.