ONCE A WILDCAT,
ALWAYS A WILDCAT

Where champions are made from K–12

Building Wildcats Together Since 1963

River Falls Wrestling is one of Wisconsin’s most distinguished programs. In 1963 Coach Bill Wright introduced the sport at RFHS. By the 1970s our community formed a non-profit youth wrestling organization and Booster Club to back athletes at every level.

1963 – Coach Bill Wright introduces wrestling at River Falls High School. Within a decade our community formed a non-profit youth wrestling organization and Booster Club to support athletes from kindergarten through Grade 12.

1988 – River Falls was the birthplace of the WWF Kids Folkstyle State Tournament series, a milestone for youth folkstyle wrestling.

Since 1997 – River Falls has been home to the prestigious Northern Badger Wrestling Classic for more than 25 years, welcoming hundreds of teams and thousands of fans each December.

Today our programs span Pre-K through high school, offering skill clinics, leadership roles, and competitive pathways that prepare every Wildcat for success on and off the mat.

20 WIAA Individual State Titles

135+ qualifiers and 76 placement medals

These individual champions have powered five WIAA Team State appearances and fueled fifteen conference team championships across the Middle Border and Big Rivers Conferences.

Honoring the 20 Wildcats whose state-title victories cement our legacy of excellence.

Who will be next?

#WHOS21

Pauly Cudd

1971

185 lb

Mike Jenkins

1971

Heavyweight

Doug Brannigan

1975

98 lb

Jim Kassera

1977

98 lb

Paul Wehking

1983

167 lb

Jesse Cudd

1992

140 lb

Kevin Black

1995

103 lb

Kevin Black

1996

112 lb

Durand Brown

1996

135 lb

Kevin Black

1997

112 lb

Brady Cudd

1997

130 lb

Phillip Meier

1997

152 lb

Joe Cudd

1997

275 lb

Tony Black

1998

103 lb

Kevin Black

1998

119 lb

Joe Cudd

1998

275 lb

Tony Black

1999

112 lb

Trevor Brandvold

2006

189 lb

Nathan Fuller

2019

152 lb

Vito Massa

2022

285 lb

All-American Honors & NCAA Champion

5 NCAA Division I All-American honors | 4 NCAA Division III All-American honors

From conference mats to national championships, River Falls wrestlers have reached All-American status at the NCAA Championships. These honors speak to the grit and dedication of every Wildcat.

In 2025, Mitchell Williamson ’18 captured the NCAA Division III national title at 285 lbs while at Wartburg College. 

Who will be next?

#RFAlumni

Hello world!

River Falls Class of

Mitchell Williamson

Wartburg

NCAA National Champion

2024-2025

River Falls Class of 2018

Two Landmark Tournaments Each Season

The Badger Classic here at RFHS and the WWF Kids series born in River Falls

Northern Badger Wrestling Classic

Since 1997, River Falls has proudly hosted the Northern Badger Classic. Each December, over 48 teams and up to 5,000 fans converge for two days of top-level competition.

Birthplace of the WWF Kids Series

In 1988, River Falls gave rise to the WWF Kids Folkstyle State Tournament series. While the tournament now travels statewide, its roots here continue to shape young wrestlers across Wisconsin.