Parkside Athletics

Under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Jim Koch, UW-Parkside's 1973-1974 wrestling squad tallied the highest ever finish by a Ranger men's team in school history, finishing third at the NAIA Championships for the university's first trophy from a national competition. The 1973-1974 Rangers featured two national champions with Bill West ripping through the season with a 27-0 record to claim the 134-pound title while Randy Skarda capped the season with a 28-1 record and a national title at 150-pounds. Ken Martin, a national champion the prior season, moved up from 134-pounds to 142-pounds and placed runner-up at the national meet, boasting an impressive 25-2 record. Also on the star-studded 1973-1974 squad was Joe Landers who would go on to win a national title at 134-pounds in 1976.
 
A statistically dominant team, West, Martin, and Skarda all ranked in the top four all-time in career winning percentage while seven members of the squad rank among the top 12 all-time in takedowns allowed per match.
 
In dual competition, the Rangers posted a 7-4-1 record with three setbacks coming at the hands of Division I opponents. The 1973-1974 squad laid the foundation for a juggernaut program that recorded seven top 10 finishes and four top five finishes during the decade and became the preeminent small college program in the state and the upper Midwest.