Wrestling Great Rick Lawinger Dies

Rick Lawinger, who wrestled at Mineral Point and was the first University of Wisconsin wrestler to win an NCAA championship and then became head coach at River Valley High School died Tuesday. He was 67. Lawinger recently suffered complications from heart surgery, He didn’t start wrestling until joining the powerhouse Mineral Point High School program led by Al Bauman, but he finished an undefeated 1969-70 senior season by winning the state title at 145 pounds. As a coach at River Valley from 1974 to 1980, Lawinger had the state’s No. 1 dual meet team in 1978 and 1979. The team finished as state runner-up in 1978. He was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1983.