MINNESOTA'S OLYMPIC WRESTLING LEGACY

At least one Minnesotan has made each U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team since 1968. Several have won medals. A look at Minnesota's ties to Olympic wrestling:

• In 1948, Verne Gagne became the first Minnesotan to make an Olympic wrestling team.

• Alan Rice of St. Paul made the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team in 1956, then returned to the state to coach. A Big Ten champ for the Gophers, he founded the Minnesota Amateur Wrestling Club and helped develop dozens of elite Greco-Roman athletes.

• Rice coached the 1972 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team. His wrestlers included J Robinson, who would become the Gophers' coach and an assistant for four Olympic teams.

• Dan Chandler of Minneapolis made the Olympic team in 1976, 1980 and 1984. He has developed more Minnesota Olympians as the longtime coach of the Minnesota Storm club and coached the 2000 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team to three medals.

• Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling medalists with Minnesota ties include Jim Martinez (bronze, 1984); Dennis Koslowski (bronze, 1988; silver, 1992); Brandon Paulson (silver, 1996); and Garrett Lowney (bronze, 2000).

• Ali Bernard of New Ulm was among the first women to compete in Olympic wrestling, making the U.S. team in 2008 and 2012.

RACHEL BLOUNT