marchmatness1928–2026

1953 NCAA Championships

123 lb

Champion Dick Mueller, Minnesota.Original bracket sheet ↗

All-Americans

  1. 1Dick MuellerMINN
  2. 2Donald ReeceOU
  3. 3Pat McCarronUNI
  4. 4John Lee Jr.HARV

In 1953, a wrestler wrestled back only if the man who beat him reached the final, and places were awarded through fourth, so the consolation bracket is shorter than a modern one. Every bout the tournament recorded is drawn here.

Connected 1953 123-pound bracket

Select a name to highlight their path; select it again to open the profile. Select a score for the bout.

How to read this bracket
  • Tap a name to follow that wrestler; tap it again to open their profile.
  • "Cons →" is where the loser continues in the consolation bracket; tap it to go there.
  • "↩" is where a wrestler arrived from the championship bracket.
  • The score opens the bout.
Final →Placements →

Championship

Consolation

Championship

Opening round · 0 bouts

20 byes into the round of 32

    Round of 32 · 4 bouts

    12 byes into the round of 16

    1. Al Crancer, Arkansas State over Bob Homan, Penn State — Dec 10–2 · View bout
    2. Pat McCarron (4), Northern Iowa over Bob Karns, Army (NY) — Dec 4–2 · View bout
    3. Rex Boda, Cornell (NY) over Yukio Matsumoto, Illinois — Dec (no score) · View bout
    4. Richard Hockley, Wyoming over Donald Stubblebine, Springfield (MA) — Dec 4–3 · View bout

    Round of 16 · 8 bouts

    1. Al Crancer, Arkansas State over Arnold Wilson, Brigham Young (UT) — Dec 8–1 · View bout
    2. Bob Mancuso Sr., Kansas State over Rex Boda, Cornell (NY) — Dec 6–0 · View bout
    3. Dick Mueller (3), Minnesota over Joe Lobaugh, Oklahoma State — Dec 3–0 · View bout
    4. Donald Reece (1), Oklahoma over Ted Bredehoft, Cornell College (IA) — Fall 8:45 · View bout
    5. Jack Herschend, Northwestern (IL) over Alex McCord, Lehigh (PA) — Dec 6–4 · View bout
    6. John Lee Jr. (2), Harvard (MA) over Glenn Flegal, Millersville (PA) — Dec 4–0 · View bout
    7. Pat McCarron (4), Northern Iowa over Paul Boyko, Toledo (OH) — Dec 4–2 · View bout
    8. Richard Hockley, Wyoming over Dick Gibson, Washington State — Dec 6–4 · View bout

    Quarterfinal · 4 bouts

    1. Dick Mueller (3), Minnesota over Al Crancer, Arkansas State — Dec 5–2 · View bout
    2. Donald Reece (1), Oklahoma over Bob Mancuso Sr., Kansas State — Fall 5:34 · View bout
    3. John Lee Jr. (2), Harvard (MA) over Richard Hockley, Wyoming — Dec 4–2 · View bout
    4. Pat McCarron (4), Northern Iowa over Jack Herschend, Northwestern (IL) — Dec 5–4 · View bout

    Semifinal · 2 bouts

    1. Dick Mueller (3), Minnesota over John Lee Jr. (2), Harvard (MA) — Dec 7–1 · View bout
    2. Donald Reece (1), Oklahoma over Pat McCarron (4), Northern Iowa — Dec 3–0 · View bout

    Final · 1 bout

    1. Dick Mueller (3), Minnesota over Donald Reece (1), Oklahoma — Fall 4:45 · View bout

    Consolation

    Consolation round 4 · 0 bouts

    2 byes into the consolation round 1

      Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts

      1. Al Crancer, Arkansas State over Bob Mancuso Sr., Kansas State — Dec 9–4 · View bout
      2. Ted Bredehoft, Cornell College (IA) over Joe Lobaugh, Oklahoma State — Dec 4–3 · View bout

      Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts

      1. John Lee Jr. (2), Harvard (MA) over Al Crancer, Arkansas State — Dec 5–0 · View bout
      2. Pat McCarron (4), Northern Iowa over Ted Bredehoft, Cornell College (IA) — Dec (no score) · View bout

      Placement bouts

      3rd-place bout · 1 bout

      1. Pat McCarron (4), Northern Iowa over John Lee Jr. (2), Harvard (MA) — Dec 3–2 · View bout

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