The IHSAA is proud to announce the 2026 honorees for induction into the IHSAA Wrestling Hall of Fame, IHSAA Officials Hall of Fame, and escort for the Grand March, to be recognized on February 21 before the state championship matches at Casey’s Center in Des Moines.
Below is brief biographical information on each Hall of Fame selection and award winner. IHSAA awards information is available in the annual state tournament program, available for $5 at Wells Fargo Arena or through the IHSAA website and office.
These awards will be livestreamed by Iowa PBS starting at 5:15 p.m., prior to the start of the finals broadcast at 5:30 p.m. The livestreams will be available through Iowa PBS on YouTube and online, as well as the IHSAA’s Watch page.
IHSAA WRESTLING HALL OF FAME
COACHES
CHET BACHMAN, MFL MarMac
A 1992 MFL MarMac graduate, Bachman spent 25 years building one of Iowa’s most consistent wrestling programs, ending a 31-year conference championship drought. Under his leadership, the Bulldogs won 14 conference tournament titles and 15 conference dual titles, including a run of 62 consecutive conference dual victories. He compiled a 453–88 dual meet record, the third highest in Iowa history for winning percentage. Bachman’s teams produced 90 conference champions, over 40 wrestlers with 100 career wins, 65 state qualifiers, five individual state champions, and 36 state place-winners. His teams finished in the state’s top 10 five times, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in 2005 and a State Duals qualification in 2019. A four-year letterwinner and two-time state qualifier himself, Bachman has earned IWCOA Coach of the Year honors, five District Coach of the Year awards, and served as IWCOA president from 2005-2009. Bachman and his wife, Rachel, have three daughters and he looks forward to his new role as MFL MarMac principal next fall.
CHRIS KRUEGER, Denver & Denver/Tripoli
An all-state athlete in football, baseball, and wrestling at Denver, Krueger led his alma mater to continued wrestling success from 2000 to 2020. His teams with Denver and Denver/Tripoli won 10 NICL conference titles, earning him eight NICL Coach of the Year honors. Krueger guided his programs to three Class 2A state championships, six state runner-up finishes, and 14 team trophies across 1A and 2A. He compiled a 350–107 dual meet record while coaching 14 individual state champions, 25 state finalists, and 60 state medalists. Krueger founded the Trophy Hunters youth wrestling club, helping develop multiple IHSAA state champions statewide. In 2015, he led Team Iowa at the Pan-American Games in Toronto, and in 2018 his Denver program led the state in wrestling GPA. Krueger has received numerous coaching honors, including the Bob Siddens Coaching Excellence Award, and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2025. He was also recently named the 2026 Iowa associate principal of the year at Mason City. The son of Darrel and Steffanie, he and his wife Jennifer have three adult sons, Creed (Ryleigh), Cael (Brianna), and Camden, and grandchildren Ronan, Cainen, and River.
BLAKE WILLIAMS, Solon
A 1993 graduate of Decorah, Williams was a two-time state place-winner before continuing his wrestling career at Wartburg College. There, he became a three-time national qualifier and earned All-America honors in 1996, placing fifth for Wartburg’s first NCAA Division III National Championship team. He was also a three-time Academic All-American. Williams began his coaching career as an assistant at Center Point–Urbana before earning his first head coaching position at Solon, where he led the program to its first State Duals appearance in 2001. He later spent 12 seasons as head coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie, guiding the Hawks to nine State Duals appearances, including a runner-up finish, six MVC dual titles, and three MVC Super Meet championships. In 2015, he returned to Solon, leading the Spartans to three State Duals appearances, two runner-up finishes, and the 2017 traditional state championship. Williams compiled a 413–117–1 head coaching record, coaching 124 state qualifiers, 71 medalists, eight state champions, and nine runners-up. Today, he serves as Solon’s middle school head coach and a volunteer assistant at the high school. He and his wife, Emy, have two children, Ashlyn and Teague.
WRESTLERS
JORDAN BREMER, Woodbury Central
A three-time state champion from 2010–12 at 103 and 113 pounds, Bremer graduated with a remarkable 183–9 career record with 101 falls. He won 113 of his final 114 matches, with his only loss during that stretch coming out of state. Bremer was the first and only multi-time state champion in Woodbury Central history, and the 75th three-time champion in Iowa wrestling history. He earned USA Wrestling Magazine All-American honors twice and finished nationally ranked second at 103 pounds as a junior and fifth at 113 as a senior. Following high school, Bremer wrestled at the University of Minnesota at 125 pounds under coach J Robinson. He was part of two NWCA National Duals championship teams and multiple top three finishes at the Big Ten and NCAA Championships before a career-ending back injury. Bremer lives in Moville with his wife, Abby, and children, Lennyn and Rory. He works as a business account executive for Long Lines Broadband and serves as an assistant wrestling coach at Woodbury Central.
LARRY HOCHHAUS, Britt
A unique two-time champion early in the IHSAA’s two-class format, Hochhaus won heavyweight in 1959, then won 154 pounds in 1960. The three-sport all-conference athlete reportedly weighed around 160 pounds while competing at heavyweight. Hochhaus finished with a varsity record of 48-5-1, then went on to compete at Iowa State under coach Harold Nichols, and qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1962 at 167 pounds. He received a bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate at Iowa State, then went on to teach psychology at Central College, Oklahoma State, Alcorn State, and Ohio. After retiring from higher education, he became a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, leading numerous substance and behavior groups. Hochhaus has two adult children – Bill and Julie – and lives in Oklahoma with his wife, Diana Barbee.
TIM RILEY, Iowa City, City High
A three-time state place-winner from 1977–79, Riley earned a third-place finish at 119 pounds in 1977 and captured back-to-back state championships at 126 pounds in 1978 and 1979 for City High. He also claimed the 1979 Junior National Championship at 60 kilograms. Following high school, Riley wrestled at the University of Iowa from 1979–84. During his Hawkeye career, he became a three-time All-American at 118 and 126 pounds, won a Big Ten championship in 1983, and was a member of four Big Ten Championship and four NCAA Championship teams. After graduating from Iowa, Riley joined his family business, Maher Brothers Transfer and Storage, where he currently serves as president and owner. He and his wife, Paige, have three children, Anne, Dana, and Lincoln, and one son-in-law, Sam Godsey.
IHSAA OFFICIALS HALL OF FAME
STEVE FRANCOIS, Dundee
A dedicated wrestling official, Francois was a respected presence on the mat across Iowa for 44 years. His officiating career includes 17 IHSAA State Wrestling Tournament assignments, highlighted by eight finals assignments, along with five State Dual Team Tournament assignments. Francois also officiated 40 years of sectional and district tournaments and received 15 regional dual assignments during his career, earning the respect of athletes, coaches, and fellow officials statewide. A 1976 graduate of Starmont, Francois was a four-year varsity wrestler and a state qualifier during his high school career. Francois and his wife, Cam, are both retired and reside on their farm in Dundee. They have three daughters Stephanie (Adam) Miller, Leah (Jarrod) Teems, Alexa (Derek Stephens), and one son Tyler Francois, and four grandchildren: Jaxon and Grayson Miller, and Maci and Dallas Teems.
CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND MARCH ESCORT
The Grand March will begin following Hall of Fame and awards ceremonies on Saturday night and lead all place-winners into Casey’s Center ahead of the 42 state championship matches.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association is honored to recognize Nick Ackerman, an IHSAA State Wrestling Tournament place-winner (sixth at 152 pounds), NCAA Division III national champion at 174 pounds for Simpson College in 2001, which led to earning the Dan Hodge Trophy alongside Iowa State’s Cael Sanderson.
Ackerman remains the only Division III wrestler and one of two Iowa preps to win the Hodge Trophy. He recently received the NCAA’s Silver Anniversary Award for his accomplishments 25 years after his championship and honors.
A Colfax-Mingo graduate, Ackerman achieved these honors and more without legs, which were amputated due to bacterial meningitis at 18 months old. Despite the adversity, he never allowed it to define him, crediting his coaches and parents for instilling belief in himself and a deep dedication to wrestling. Today, Ackerman remains closely connected to the sport as a member of the Comet Wrestling Club board in the North Polk School District and as a member of the North Polk wrestling coaching staff, while proudly supporting his three sons as they participate in wrestling at various levels.
The IHSAA wishes to extend its sincere admiration to Ackerman for exemplifying dedication, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence in and beyond the sport of wrestling.