Iowa City Today

Brad Smith, a former University of Iowa wrestler and coach, will be inducted into the UI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2025. Smith is recognized for his achievements both as an athlete for the Hawkeyes and as a high school wrestling coach in Iowa.

“Coaching was my forte,” says Smith, who retired in 2023 as the all-time winningest coach in Iowa high school history. “I studied the sport. I tried to learn as much as I could. Even in my last years, I was always looking for different ways to show certain moves. You have to keep updated with the technique, because technique in wrestling changes almost every year.”

Smith was part of coach Gary Kurdelmeier’s first recruiting class at Iowa, where he also learned from assistant Dan Gable. Reflecting on Gable’s influence, Smith says: “(Gable) had a way to get the best out of each one of his wrestlers. Mentally, he made you believe in yourself, and when you stepped on the mat you knew that you were going to win. That’s one thing I always emphasize in my coaching. I think the mental part is probably 80% of what it takes to be a good wrestler. There’s other things as well, but if you have it upstairs, you can go a long way.”

As an athlete, Smith won the NCAA championship at 142 pounds in 1976 and contributed to Iowa’s team titles in both 1975 and 1976. He placed three times at the Big Ten championships during his college career.

After graduating from Iowa, Smith began coaching at Lisbon High School in 1978 before moving on to Iowa City High. Over his career at these schools, he set state records for dual meet wins and traditional state titles and coached more individual state champions than anyone else in Iowa history.

Smith has been honored multiple times for his work as a coach. He is a two-time national wrestling coach of the year and two-time Iowa coach of the year. His contributions have been recognized by several halls of fame including those for Iowa Wrestling, Illinois Wrestling, Glen Brand Wrestling, Lisbon High School, and by receiving awards such as Prep Coach of the Century from Iowa’s News Now.

“I never got complacent,” he says. “I was always learning, because that’s the only way to get better.”

Smith's induction into the UI Athletics Hall of Fame highlights his role not only as an accomplished competitor but also as someone who shaped generations of young wrestlers across Iowa.