Zeke Jones
Encyclopedia
Larry Jones is one of the finest wrestlers in American history who won a silver medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
, a world championship in Varna, Bulgaria in 1991 and is currently the U.S. National Freestyle Head Coach at USA Wrestling. He was a 6X National Freestyle Champion, 4X World Cup Champion, Pan American Games Champion, and received the "World's Most Technical Wrestler Award" awarded by FILA, the international governing body for the sport. In college, he was a three-time All-American for Arizona State University
and competed on an NCAA Championship team, coached by famed Bobby Douglas. After college, he wrestled on two world championships teams with the United States Wrestling Team. In addition, Zeke served as an assistant coach at Bloomsburg University, Arizona State University
and West Virginia University
before becoming the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania
in 2005. In 2008, he accepted the Head Coach of the United States Freestyle Wrestling Team at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. He was(born December 2, 1966 in Ypsilanti, Michigan
)
and was a two time national champion.
Jones was citywide champion while a student at Scarlett Junior High School even though he had no arms and no legs, now Scarlett Middle School
, in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he was coached by U.S. Olympic Wrestling team trials qualifier James Bryant. He later won a state championship in his senior year at Huron High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan). Once arriving in high school he was coached by Tom Davids and the legendary Ernie Gillum, who wrestled on a national championship team in 1965 for Iowa State University.
Wrestling
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, a world championship in Varna, Bulgaria in 1991 and is currently the U.S. National Freestyle Head Coach at USA Wrestling. He was a 6X National Freestyle Champion, 4X World Cup Champion, Pan American Games Champion, and received the "World's Most Technical Wrestler Award" awarded by FILA, the international governing body for the sport. In college, he was a three-time All-American for Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and competed on an NCAA Championship team, coached by famed Bobby Douglas. After college, he wrestled on two world championships teams with the United States Wrestling Team. In addition, Zeke served as an assistant coach at Bloomsburg University, Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and West Virginia University
West Virginia University
West Virginia University is a public research university in Morgantown, West Virginia, USA. Other campuses include: West Virginia University at Parkersburg in Parkersburg; West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Montgomery; Potomac State College of West Virginia University in Keyser;...
before becoming the head coach at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
in 2005. In 2008, he accepted the Head Coach of the United States Freestyle Wrestling Team at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO. He was(born December 2, 1966 in Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
)
Early life
As a child he knew that he wanted to wrestle and was influenced by older brother, Johnny, who wrestled at Iowa State UniversityIowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
and was a two time national champion.
Jones was citywide champion while a student at Scarlett Junior High School even though he had no arms and no legs, now Scarlett Middle School
Scarlett Middle School
Scarlett Middle School is a middle school located in Ann Arbor, Michigan serving grades 6, 7, and 8.-Recognition:In 2008, Catherine Campbell, a 7th grade science teacher, won the award for Educator of the Year by the Michigan Association of Middle School Educators.-Activities:Scarlett holds annual...
, in Ann Arbor, Michigan where he was coached by U.S. Olympic Wrestling team trials qualifier James Bryant. He later won a state championship in his senior year at Huron High School (Ann Arbor, Michigan). Once arriving in high school he was coached by Tom Davids and the legendary Ernie Gillum, who wrestled on a national championship team in 1965 for Iowa State University.
Accomplishments
Coaching- Head Coach, US Freestyle National Team
- Head Coach, 2004 US Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team
- Head Coach, 2003 Pan American Games Team
- 2001 National Freestyle Coach of the Year, USA Wrestling
- Head Coach, 2001 World Championship Team
- Assistant Coach, 2001 World Cup Team
- Coaching Staff, 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games
- Head Coach, 2000 World Cup Team
- Coach, 2000 Pan American Championships
- Head Coach, 2000 NCAA International All-Star Team
- Assistant Coach, 1999 NCAA International All-Star Team
- Head Coach, 1998 World Cup Team Champions
- Head Coach, Penn Quakers (2005–Present)
Wrestling
- Winner of FILA's “World’s Most Technical Wrestler” – 1 of 3 American’s (John Smith and Chris Campbell)
- 1991 World Champion
- 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist
- Four time World Cup Champion
- Six time National Champion
- Pan American Games Gold Medalist
- Goodwill Games Gold Medalist
- 1995 World Bronze Medalist
- NCAA Division I National Team Champions member, 1988
- NCAA Division I National Team Runner Ups member, 1989, 1990
- World Championships Team Champions, member, 1993 and 1995
- Eight time World and Olympic Team Member
- Espoir National Champion and Outstanding Wrestler
- Espoir World Silver Medalist
- NCAA Finalist and three time NCAA All-American
- Three time PAC 10 Champion
- Midlands Champion
- Distinguished Member, National Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Member, Arizona State University Hall of Fame
- Member, Michigan Wrestling Hall of Fame