A. Ray Oliver

NSWCA Hall of Fame
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A. "Archie" Ray Oliver
COMPETITOR
Hall of Fame - 1994
Omaha Tech

Stepping into the NSWCA Hall of Fame spotlight for Ray Oliver willnot be the family’s first experience. Brother Roye Oliver was inducted in l990. Ray’s acceptance will make this the first brother-team in the NSWCA Hall of Fame - quite an honorable accomplishment. Ray picked up his wrestling experience under Coach Curlee Alexander (Hall of Fame ’91) at Omaha Tech from l975-l978. His high school record stands at 85-10. He was a 3-time placer at state (4th, 2nd, State Champ), Big Eight Runner-up, Metro Champ, took 3rd & 5th in the Midland Championships, ranked third in the nation his Junior and Senior years, was All American in l983, and was invited on the foreign exchange teams to Poland and Germany. Trying out the mats at Arizona State (’78-’79) where he ran up a record of 8-6-1 he was drawn back to UNL from ’79-’83 collecting more stats: 80-30-4. Because wrestling has given so much to him, Ray likes the idea of giving something back to wrestling. He has been involved with coaching and working with young people in the sport. This quiet, unassuming gentleman has felt a great sense of accomplishment in being a part of the era that helped the University of Nebraska be recognized in the nation during the early 80’s with a team finish of eighth. He extends his “pay-back” time to his son and enjoyed coaching him to an Early Youth ˆational Championship in Tulsa, OK in l994. Serving as YMÇÅ Program Director for 7 years, Ray credits his mentor, Joe Edmonson, and his former teammates on all of the teams he has wrestled for his acceptance into the NSWCA Hall of Fame. Extending his interests by running in the l990 Marathon, Ray is introduced by one of his former coaches, Harry Gaylor, Omaha, Hall of Fame ’89.

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