UNO's Olympic Ties: Our First Olympian

This year’s winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are the 22nd winter games and the 52nd Olympics overall since the ancient Greek tradition was reinstated in 1894. It was at the ninth Summer Olympic Games, in Amsterdam, that UNO had its first – but certainly not last – connection to Olympic glory.

As the only American to win a gold medal in wrestling since the re-launch of the Olympic Games, Allie Morrison is a legend of the sport. His legacy includes starting UNO’s storied wrestling program in 1948.

A native of Marshalltown, Iowa, Morrison was just 24 and a student at the University of Illinois when he defeated 1924 gold medal winner Kustaa Pihlajamaki of Finland to earn gold. During his career he also earned three successive United States AAU National Wrestling Championships, and had an almost perfect career record with a single contest loss.

After an injury in his junior year, following the Olympics, Morrison was forced to retire from the sport. However, he soon found work coaching both football and wrestling at Doane College in Crete, Neb. before taking a similar position at Central High School in Omaha.

According to a 1995 Gateway article, Morrison left his job at Central to serve in World War II. After returning home from the war, University of Omaha students convinced Morrison to launch UNO’s first wrestling program, which began in 1948.

Morrison served as coach for three years, leading UNO to a 5-10 dual record before the school dropped the program in 1952 due to a lack of athletes. Morrison left UNO that same year.

Morrison passed away in 1966 at the age of 61. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993, 65 years after his Olympic victory.

Photo courtesy of the UNO Alumni Association