Athletic Director Mr. Randy Conrad was recently selected to the National Hall of Fame for wrestling.

Conrad was a three-time state qualifier for East Leyden High School under legendary coach Chuck Farina.  Conrad placed 3rd in state in 1976, went undefeated in 1978, and won a State Championship the same year at 126 lbs. He also recorded the state’s highest individual point total: 129 ½ points.

The jacket that he is wearing in this picture is his Hall of Fame jacket, as he requested to let us take a picture with him wearing it. Spending a whole lifetime on a sport and finally receive this recognition for what he did is an amazing feeling.

And Conrad has kept the wrestling mindset: spending long days in the gym and eating healthy. He still gets on the mat some days.

“ I just turned 55, and I really started wrestling at 4 years, so 51 years and I’m still wrestling when I can.”

Conrad has slowed down slightly, after a surgery for a neck injury stopped his ability to wrestle.

He attributes his motivation and focus to his family. “My father Ray Conrad, he actually was one of the pioneers in the Illinois kid wrestling programs that started up. He was a wrestler in high school and the Army.” Conrad explained he was raised tough and to be good at what he does. “Especially wrestling,” he added. “It was in the family, not just my dad, my uncle as well. My Dad’s brother was a champion for NIU, and both of those guys helped run the feeder program for Leyden High School, which is now known today as the Wolfpack wrestling.”