University of Central Oklahoma Athletics

Eddie Griffin had an amazing four-year run as UCO’s head wrestling coach, leading the Bronchos to three NAIA national championships.

He coached 26 All-Americans, including 11 individual national champions, and put together a 40-18-1 dual record that included wins over Alabama, Arizona, Brigham Young, Oregon and Washington.

Griffin led the Bronchos to their first-ever national wrestling title in 1979 to earn college Rookie Coach of the Year honors by Amateur Wrestling News, with UCO finishing third the following season.

Griffin’s 1981 team was perhaps the best in NAIA history, scoring a tournament-record 155.25 points and crowning six individual champions in running away with the title, and the Bronchos won again in 1982.

Griffin, who was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1979, ‘81 and ‘82, went on to coach at Clemson and also served as athletic director for Oklahoma City Public Schools and Northeastern State University.