John W. Hancock
Encyclopedia
John W. Hancock was a Hall of Fame wrestling coach at the University of Northern Colorado
. He was also an All-American football player for the University of Iowa
from 1922-1924 and a college football
coach at Mississippi State University
.
from 1922-1924. He played a significant role on Iowa’s 1922 Big Ten
championship team. As a senior, Hancock played both the tackle and end positions and kicked five field goals for the Hawkeyes. He was named all-Big Ten and a second team All-American after the 1924 season. He also won three letters in track with the Hawkeyes, capturing a title in the discus event at the 1925 Big Ten championships.
football for three years from 1927-1929. He went to the University of Northern Colorado
in 1932 and began a long coaching career. Hancock served as their athletic director for 34 years and coached football and track for decades as well.
John Hancock is best known as a college wrestling coach at Northern Colorado. He originated the Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and proceeded to lead UNC to 30 consecutive conference championships. He served on the NCAA rules committee for 16 years and chaired it in 1962-63.
Hancock has been nicknamed “the father of Colorado high school wrestling”. He helped start the Colorado High School Wrestling Tournament in Greeley in 1936 by going door-to-door in the community to find families that could house the visiting high school wrestlers. Two of his sons became well-known wrestling coaches as well.
at the University of Northern Colorado was named in honor of John W. Hancock and Pete Butler, former UNC baseball coach.
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
. He was also an All-American football player for the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
from 1922-1924 and a college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach at Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
.
Playing career
John Hancock played football at the University of IowaIowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
from 1922-1924. He played a significant role on Iowa’s 1922 Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
championship team. As a senior, Hancock played both the tackle and end positions and kicked five field goals for the Hawkeyes. He was named all-Big Ten and a second team All-American after the 1924 season. He also won three letters in track with the Hawkeyes, capturing a title in the discus event at the 1925 Big Ten championships.
Coaching career
Hancock went into college coaching after graduation. He coached Mississippi StateMississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
football for three years from 1927-1929. He went to the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
in 1932 and began a long coaching career. Hancock served as their athletic director for 34 years and coached football and track for decades as well.
John Hancock is best known as a college wrestling coach at Northern Colorado. He originated the Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and proceeded to lead UNC to 30 consecutive conference championships. He served on the NCAA rules committee for 16 years and chaired it in 1962-63.
Hancock has been nicknamed “the father of Colorado high school wrestling”. He helped start the Colorado High School Wrestling Tournament in Greeley in 1936 by going door-to-door in the community to find families that could house the visiting high school wrestlers. Two of his sons became well-known wrestling coaches as well.
Honors
John Hancock was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998. The Butler-Hancock Sports PavilionButler-Hancock Sports Pavilion
Butler-Hancock Sports Pavilion is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Greeley, Colorado, USA. It was built in 1974 and is home to the University of Northern Colorado Bears men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the Bears volleyball, and indoor track and field programs.Located on Northern...
at the University of Northern Colorado was named in honor of John W. Hancock and Pete Butler, former UNC baseball coach.