AMES, Iowa (KCRG) – Bobby Douglas, a former Iowa State head wrestling coach who made history as the first Black American wrestler to compete in the Olympics, died Monday at age 83. Douglas, a Bridgeport, Ohio, native, coached the Cyclones from 1993 to 2006, producing 52 All-America performances, 10 individual NCAA titles, three runner-up NCAA finishes, and 198 dual victories.

Before coaching, Douglas broke barriers as an athlete. He represented the United States at both the 1964 Tokyo Games, where he finished fourth in the featherweight division, and the 1968 Mexico City Games, where he captained the U.S. Olympic team.

Douglas began his coaching career at UC Santa Barbara in 1973 before spending 18 years at Arizona State from 1975 to 1992. He helped lead the Sun Devils to the 1988 NCAA national championship — one of only three times between 1968 and his arrival at Iowa State that a program other than Iowa or Iowa State claimed the title.

His tenure at Iowa State produced memorable moments. The 1995-96 Cyclones went to the NCAA Championship with only five qualifiers, but all five earned All-America status and three reached the finals, finishing second nationally.

During the 1999-2000 season, the Cyclones went 20-2 in duals, won the National Duals title, and finished as NCAA runners-up to Iowa, despite having four wrestlers reach the finals.

Douglas was named conference coach of the year twice. He also earned the 2000 NWCA National Coach of the Year award and the USA Wrestling Freestyle Coach of the Year in 2004.

Douglas was inducted into the Iowa State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023. He is also a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame, NAIA Hall of Fame, West Liberty Hall of Fame, and Arizona State Hall of Fame.

Following the 2005-06 season, Douglas stepped down and passed the program to his assistant, Cael Sanderson. With 198 dual victories, he finished as the second-winningest coach in program history, trailing only Harold Nichols.