Hall of Fame recipient Ben Bennett passed away at his home Thursday night. Ben held many honors in wrestling, both in Kansas and nationally. He was president of USA Wrestling in 1986-87, member of the USA Wrestling board from 1972-87, member of the Executive Board of the USOC from 1986-88. In 1979 he was named USA Wrestling's Man of the Year.

Back in Kansas, he coached Junction City High School to three state championships and 27 individual state champions. In 1980 he was named Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association, and in 1983 was Wrestling USA Magazine's Man of the Year. He was selected to the state chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005 and to the KWCA Hall of Fame in 2011. Ben was also heavily involved in the early years of USAW-Kansas.

Although Ben was a very busy man, serving as Geary County commissioner since 2007, in recent years he was becoming more involved back with our sport and was still active and engaged until the end. Not only Kansas, but the entire wrestling nation, owes Ben a huge thanks for all the work he did during the critical developmental stages of our organization. He will be missed.

Mike Juby