Long-time wrestling coach Ron Finley died yesterday morning at the age of 75. The former Beaver took over the University of Oregon wrestling program in 1970 and remained at the helm until 1998.
Under his leadership, the Ducks captured Pac-10 Championships in 1975, 1981 and 1982.
Oregon’s wrestling program is now gone but the legacy left behind by Finley will live on.
When the program was cut in 2007, Finley was at the forefront to resurrect it from the dead. He served as the director of Save Oregon Wrestling and organized the website saveoregonwrestling.org within the week of the program ending.
The hard work put in by Finley was rekindled in January when wrestling was brought back to the university as a club sport.
In 1982, Finley was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and was awarded a lifetime service award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Finley is survived by his wife and two children.
Former UO wrestling coach dies
July 5, 2016
UPDATE: 4:30 p.m. — Athletic department spokesman Craig Pintens confirmed both Tristen Wallace and Darrian Franklin were suspended by former UO coach Mark Helfrich in October and remain suspended. Oregon wide receiver Tristen Wallace is under criminal investigation by the University of Oregon Police Department and is being investigated by UO …
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