Former USL Wrestler To Be Inducted Into National Wrestling Hall of Fame
National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Georgia Chapter- 2018 Inductees
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma is pleased to announce the Class of 2018 to be inducted by the Hall of Fame in the state of Georgia. The Georgia Chapter inductees will be honored during the "Honors Celebration Banquet” at 4:00 PM on Sunday, May 6, 2018 at the Sonesta Gwinnett Place Atlanta located at 1775 Pleasant Hill Road in Duluth.
The class of 2018 includes seven individuals who will be inducted as "Lifetime Service to Wrestling" recipients in recognition of contributing at least twenty years to the sport of wrestling as a coach, referee or contributor.
The Georgia inductees into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame are as follows:
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Stacey L. Davis, Sr. (Powder Springs, GA) – current coach at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School; FILA/Olympic official and former longtime GHSA official and head of Georgia Wrestling Officials Association; many years as coach of Team Georgia USA wrestling teams, former standout at the University of North Carolina,
Jerry Goldstein (Atlanta, GA) – current assistant coach at the Lovett School; past Georgia Tech and Florida assistant; longtime coach of Georgia Kids programs for Walton HS and Morris Fitness; high school head coach in Michigan and Georgia; Georgia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame,
William Howington (Gainesville, GA) – 44 years of service as a championship high school coach (Winder-Barrow, Monroe Area and Dawson County) and/or GHSA wrestling official in Georgia,
Pat McCance (Loganville, GA) – Successful head coach at Pebblebrook HS and Loganville HS; many years as McEachern HS assistant/associate head coach during their reign as top dog in GHSA wrestling circles; active member of the Atlanta Takedown Association,
Don St. James (Roswell, GA) – highly regarded coach at north Atlanta area high schools (Etowah, Centennial and Cambridge); former assistant coach at the University of Tennessee under legendary coach Gray Simons; sought after clinician at numerous camps and clinics across the country; coached 13 GHSA state champions; collegiate star at UGA and University of Tennessee,
Denis Tallini (Thomaston, GA) – 42 years of service, most recently as GHSA associate director; past member of National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS) wrestling rules committee; 31 years as a high school wrestling official in Louisiana with 11 more after his move to Georgia; a mainstay on the mats for state-level tournaments; remains active as an official with the Metro Atlanta Wrestling Officials; former collegiate star at Mohawk Valley CC (NY) and University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana – Lafayette),
Bruce Towson (McDonough, GA) – Longtime coach in the Henry County school system filling multiple roles at Henry County HS and Luella MS, often coaching both middle and high school teams at the same time; one of the pillars of wrestling in the south metro area of Atlanta; credited by many for the growth and success of wrestling in Henry county and surrounding areas.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Its goals are to preserve the sport of wrestling’s history, recognize extraordinary individual accomplishments, and inspire future generations to participate in the oldest sport known to man.
Event and ticket information is available by emailing wrestlinghofga@gmail.com or register online at https://national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-georgia-chapter.ticketleap.com/admin/events/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-ga-chapter-honors-weekend-2018/completed-first#/
Jeff Wheeler, Vice President
National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Georgia Chapter
wrestlinghofga@gmail.com
Athletic Network Footnote by Dr. Ed Dugas.
Please click here for Denis’ Athletic Network profile.
Please click here for the 1974 Wrestling Photo Gallery, where Denis is featured.
Click here for Denis’ letter submitted for the College of Education Academic Showcase Book of Letters in 1998.
