Leslie Gutches

Leslie Lyle Gutches (born February 21, 1973) is an American former wrestler and coach. His accomplishments include becoming a World Champion in freestyle wrestling at the 1997 World Wrestling Championships, the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's best college wrestler in 1996, becoming the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion in the 177 lb. weight division in both 1995 and 1996, earning All-American status in 1994, 1995 & 1996, becoming a member of the 1996 United States Olympics freestyle wrestling team and winning numerous other tournaments and honors.

Youth Gutches grew up in a family of wrestlers with his father Les Senior, a retired Fire Captain, being the first Gutches state champion. Les's siblings are Jason, a chiropractor and Chad, a home builder. Les Gutches grew up in Southern Oregon and has the unique distinction of winning national championships in all of the wrestling age groups, including three Oregon state titles while a student at South Medford High School.

College Considered the university's best wrestler in modern history with a 134–10 record, Gutches had a tremendous collegiate wrestling career as a four-year letterman

International Gutches achieved his greatest accomplishment in 1997, when he won the gold medal in freestyle Wrestling at the 32nd FILA Wrestling World Championships, against Ukrainian Eldar Assanov in Krasnoyarsk.

He was also an assistant coach for the United States National Team at the 2002 Freestyle World Cup, his team winning the title that year.

Personal In January 2010, it was announced that Gutches had been named the Director of Program Development for USA Wrestling. He was promoted to Associate Executive Director for Programs and Strategy in October 2012.

Accomplishments

Gutches has won numerous wrestling tournaments, awards and honors, including: 1989 USA Junior Greco-Roman Championships (178 lb): 1st 1989 USA Cadet Greco-Roman Championships (182.5 lb): 1st 1991 FILA Junior World Greco-Roman Champion (198 lb): 1st 1992 FILA Junior World Freestyle Championships (198 lb): 1st 1993 FILA Junior World Freestyle Championships (180.5 lb): 1st 1993 USA University Freestyle Championships (180.5 lb): 1st 1994 USA University Freestyle Championships (180.5 lb): 1st 1994 NCAA Division I Collegiate Championships (177 lb): 5th 1994 NCAA Division I All-American (177 lb) 1995 NCAA Division I Collegiate Championships (177 lb): 1st 1995 NCAA Division I All-American (177 lb) 1996 NCAA Division I Collegiate Championships (177 lb): 1st (Outstanding Wrestler) 1996 NCAA Division I All-American (177 lb) 1996 Dan Hodge Trophy winner 1996 US Olympic Team Freestyle results (180.5 lb): 7th 1996 USA Senior Freestyle Championships (180.5 lb): 1st (Outstanding Wrestler) 1998 FILA World Championships (187 lb): 7th 1999 Yasar Dogu Tournament (187.25 lb): 1st 1999 USA Senior Freestyle Championships (187.2 lb): 1st 1999 Pan American Games (187.2 lb): 1st 1999 FILA World Championships (187 lb): 3rd 2000 USA Senior Freestyle Championships (187.2 lb): 1st

Hall of Fame inductions 2003 Oregon State University Sports Hall of Fame 2011 Oregon Sports Hall of Fame 2012 Medford Sports Hall of Fame