Rich Redfoot ’89 is one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of Washington and Lee wrestling.
Redfoot was a three-year letterwinner for the Generals, competing at 177 pounds his first two seasons before moving to 190 pounds for his senior year. He finished his stellar career with a 56-15-1 overall record and 20 pins.
Redfoot had an immediate impact with the team as a rookie in 1985-86, notching a 16-5 overall record at 177 pounds and winning his class in the W&L College Invitational. Following the season, he was named the team’s outstanding first-year wrestler.
As a sophomore, Redfoot went 18-6 overall and he led the team in takedowns (37), escapes (14) and two-point near falls (14), while posting eight wins by fall. He finished as the runner-up at the NCAA Southeast Regional in the 177-pound weight class and advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship.
Redfoot took his junior season off, but returned to the team as a senior to have one of the most successful seasons in program history.
He went 23-4-1 overall at 190 pounds in 1988-89, leading the team in takedowns (45), reversals (7), two-point near falls (16), three-point near falls (19) and pins (6). He was named the outstanding wrestler at the Virginia College Division Championship and was the runner-up at the NCAA East Regional which advanced him to the NCAA Division III Championship for a second time.
At NCAA’s, Redfoot won his first two matches before falling to the eventual champion from Wartburg in the semifinals. He finished with a 3-2 record and won the fifth-place match to claim All-America honors, the first W&L wrestler ever to do so.
