NDSU

Watch 2015 Induction Ceremony

Wrestling, 126-134 pounds, 1994-98
NCAA Division II national champion (1997) at 134 pounds for North Dakota State, coached by Hall of Fame head coach Bucky Maughan ... One of four NDSU wrestlers to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship … NCAA Division II champion at 134 pounds in 1997 ... Four-time NCAA Division II All-American... At the NCAA championships, he was runner-up at 126 pounds in 1995 / sixth at 134 in 1996 / the 134 national champion in 1997 / third at 134 in 1998 ... Member of NDSU's 1998 NCAA Division II national championship team … Nationally, the Bison placed third in 1995 and seventh in 1997 ... North Central Conference champion in 1997 … NDSU won conference championships in 1995 and 1998 … Selected to the 1998 NCAA Division II Wrestling All-Academic Team … Amateur Wrestling News All-Rookie fourth team in 1995 ... Compiled a 99-35 record during his career, including 34-9 in duals and 17 pins … Compiled 21-8 record overall, 9-1 in duals in 1994-95, including a pair of pins … Finished 30-11 in 1995-96, including a 9-2 dual record and four pins ... During the 1996-97 national championship year, Thompson went 20-7 overall, 8-3 in duals with six pins ... Completed 1997-98 with 28-9 record, including 8-3 dual record and five pins … Thompson went 13-5 in four NCAA competitions ... Following graduation with honors from NDSU in 1998, Thompson went to the University of Northern Colorado and earned his master's degree in sport administration ... Alongside then UNC head coach and current NDSU senior associate AD for development Jack Maughan, he served as the top assistant at Northern Colorado for seven years ... Thompson coached several All-Americans and helped guide the Bears' program through their transition from Division II to Division I classification ... Thompson also co-founded the Northern Colorado Christmas Tournament (one of the largest high school sanctioned tournaments in the country) in 1999 and served as tournament director through 2014 ... Inducted into the South Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 ... Graduated with honors from Milbank (S.D.) High School ... Won first individual South Dakota state title as freshman as member of Milbank's 1990 state championship team ... That was after Milbank's head coach Bob Hirsch convinced Thompson to wrestle instead of playing basketball ... His high school accomplishments included earning four varsity letters, twice elected team captain, a pair of individual conference titles, four individual region titles, a State "A" individual runner-up finish, and three State "A" Individual titles ... Over that span, the Bulldogs won four conference team championships,  had four top six State "A" team finishes, including the 1990 State A team championship and 1993 team runner-up finish ... Currently, Thompson is the Director of Operations for Colorado Orthotic and Prosthetic Services and resides in Greeley, Colo., with his two children, daughter Leila and son Chayse.