1972-73 Wrestling Team
The 1972–73 Lake Superior State College wrestling team delivered one of the most impressive seasons in program history — finishing with a perfect 13-0 record and dominating every level of competition.
Under the leadership of head coach Jerry Cheynet, the Lakers captured the GLIAC Championship with a flawless 5-0 conference mark and went on to place 11th at the NAIA National Championships, the highest national finish the program had achieved to that point. Their postseason success also included a third straight NAIA District 23 Tournament title.
The team was led by standout All-American Jim Fallis, who claimed the NAIA National Title at 158 lbs and finished the season with an incredible 43-3-1 record. Fellow All-American Jim Leyndyke earned national runner-up honors at 126 lbs.
District 23 champions included Fallis, Leyndyke, Dave Jirikovic, Pat Weede, Jim Haskins, and Don Shamp. Recognized for their outstanding conference performances, Jirikovic (150 lbs), Fallis (158 lbs), and Haskins (177 lbs) were named to the GLIAC All-Star Team, while Leyndyke (126 lbs) and Mark Johnson (134 lbs) received Honorable Mentions.
Then known as Lake Superior State College (now Lake Superior State University), the program’s perfect season under Coach Cheynet remains a defining moment in Laker athletics — a gold standard of excellence that still resonates more than 50 years later.