Chadron State College Athletic Hall of Fame
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Joe Callahan came from Utah to wrestle for the Eagles and concluded his career with 111 wins, the most in the school’s history until he was passed in 2009.
As a freshman, Callahan challenged all the way from 150 to 177 pounds, had a 23-19 record and placed in four tournaments. The next year, he went 29-11, won first at the Midwest Classic and qualified for the National Tournament, where he placed seventh at 165 pounds to earn All-American honors.
Callahan suffered a torn ACL as the 1999-2000 season was opening. He received a medical redshirt and recovered, but missed several matches the next season because of a sprained ankle and the death of his mother. Bolstered by a 10-match winning streak late in the season, he finished with a 29-12 record and qualified for the national tournament.
As a senior, Callahan moved up to 174 pounds, had a 30-12 record and was the West Regional champion.
A strong student, Joe earned both his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in business administration while he was at Chadron State.
Joe, his wife Kyla and daughters Haley and Mia live in the Salt Lake City area, where he has an insurance business.
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