Gene Mills


Gene Mills is an American freestyle wrestler and wrestling coach. Mills and Leroy Kemp were key members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team. He won the gold medal at the 1980 World Super Championships in Japan, where he wrestled in the 52 kilogram weight class.

Early career

Raised in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, Mills wrestled for DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, New Jersey, where he won a state title. He wrestled collegiately for Syracuse University where he was a four time All-American and won twice the NCAA Championship in 1979, 1981. Mills earned a B.A. in psychology in 1981 and his master's in physical education from Syracuse University in 1998.

Highlight achievements

Career accomplishments include:
  • Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling [Hall of Fame and Museum|National Wrestling Hall of Fame], inducted 2000.
  • AAU Outstanding Freestyle Wrestler in 1980 and 1982.
  • U.S. Olympian and voted the "Athlete of the Year" by the US Olympic Committee in 1980.
  • Member of the 1985 U.S. World Team.
  • Two-time NCAA Division I Champion and voted the Outstanding Wrestler.
  • Three-time World Cup Champion.
  • 1980 Tbilisi International Tournament Winner and voted the Outstanding Wrestler after pinning each of his opponents, USSR.
  • 1980 World Superсhampionships Winner and voted the Outstanding Wrestler, Japan.
  • 1979 Pan American Games Champion, Puerto Rico.
Mills posted a career record of 1,356-45-1 with 866 of his wins won by fall. He beat the strongest wrestlers in three weight categories:
  • men's freestyle 52 kg. Mills defeated the reigning Olympic champion and World champion Anatoly Beloglazov, the 1984 Olympic champion Bobby Weaver.
  • men's freestyle 57 kg. Mills defeated the three-time European champion and the World Championships medalist Stefan Ivanov.
  • men's freestyle 65 kg. At the 1985 Midlands Tournament, Mills defeated Kevin Dresser, the best U.S. wrestler in this weight class. Mills is the 1985 Midlands Tournament Champion and voted the Outstanding Wrestler.
In 1980, Mills was considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, but the boycott of the 1980 Olympics by the United States deprived him of the opportunity to win an Olympic gold medal.

Coaching

After college he served as an assistant coach at Syracuse University for 16 seasons, ending with a record of 147-81-4. He also served as a head coach for the Mohawk Valley Wrestling Club and U.S. Wrestling team from 1985 to 1991. Mills went on to become camp director of the Syracuse University Big Orange Wrestling School in 1986. He also coaches at Phoenix high school.