Mike Potts during his Spartan wrestling days. Photo courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Former Michigan State All-American wrestler Mike Potts has died, MSU Athletics announced in a release Friday. He was 60 years old.
Born in 1961, the Coventry, Ohio, native was a four-year letter winner under Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach Grady Peninger. He also holds the Big Ten Championship record for the fastest pin in a match — a 43-second pin of Minnesota's Al Jenson in 1984 that still remains a record to this day.
Potts earned his first All-American award in 1982 at 190 pounds and again in 1984 in the heavyweight class.
1984 was also the year the Spartans saw a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships after Potts finished in eighth in his weight class. Potts was also eighth at 190 pounds at the 1982 NCAA Championships.
Potts is still tied for the No. 4 spot in the MSU wrestling career wins list with 120.
His resume with the program is extensive, as his name litters the Spartan Wrestling record books.
The Ohio native is tied for the No. 17 spot in MSU wrestling's history books with 10 NCAA Tournament wins, for the school record for pins in a single season with 21 in the 1983-84 season and his 38 total wins during the 1983-84 season are No. 10 all-time in program history for a single season.
Even after his time wearing the green and white, Potts remained a huge supporter of MSU wrestling and athletics, a release from the program said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
