Wrestling
Four titles in Iowa. Four years unbeaten at Army.
The record, as the record books keep it: Britt High School, the United States Military Academy, and the halls of fame that followed.
Iowa state championships · Britt High School
The first four-timer in Iowa history
- 1959 95 lb Title one
- 1960 103 lb Title two
- 1961 112 lb Title three
- 1962 120 lb Title four
Weights and years: National Wrestling Hall of Fame (opens in a new tab) and the Dan Gable Museum award announcement on bobsteenlage.com.
Army wrestling
West Point, 1962 – 1966.
Unbeaten in dual meets across four seasons, and captain of a team that finished tenth in the nation.
| Year | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 – 66 | Undefeated in dual meets | All four years |
| 1965 | EIWA champion | 130 lb |
| 1965 | Army finishes 10th at the NCAA championships | Team |
| 1966 | NCAA Division I All-American — 3rd place | 123 lb |
| 1966 | Team captain; Army finishes 10th at the NCAA championships | Senior season, 7-0-1 |
Sources: Army West Point Athletics, 2026 Hall of Fame announcement (opens in a new tab); bobsteenlage.com.
Named in his honor
The Bob Steenlage Iowa High School Wrestler of the Year Award.
Created in 2015 by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum, the award goes each year to the top high school wrestler in the state of Iowa — named for the first wrestler to win four state titles there.
The museum in Waterloo, Iowa, also holds a Bob Steenlage exhibit.
Recognition
Wrestling honors.
- 2026
Army West Point Sports Hall of Fame
Class of 2026, inducted September 11, 2026.
- 2015
Wrestler of the Year award named for him
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum.
- 2005
Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame
Inducted for becoming Iowa’s first four-time state champion.
- 2005
Top 100 Iowa sports moments
Named by the Des Moines Register among the top 100 sports moments in Iowa in the last 100 years.
- 2003
Top sports moment in Britt history
- 2002
Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa
National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Interview
Wrestling With Iowa.
Bob talks about the Britt years and what it took to compete at West Point.
Contact
For coaches, teams and readers.
The full account is in Fighting Back. Write to Bob to ask about copies.