Fort Lewis College Athletics

Jim Etzler is best known as one of the finest heavyweight wrestlers in Fort Lewis College history, racking up an impressive 61-3 record in two seasons. A wrestling letterwinner in 1981-82 and 1982-83, he became a two-time NAIA All-American by placing third at the NAIA National Championships both seasons.

Etzler helped the Raiders to a ninth place finish at the 1982 nationals — Fort Lewis College's highest-ever national finish in wrestling — and then single-handedly led the school to an 18th place national finish the next season. Etzler won the Garriran Trophy in 1983, awarded to the wrestler with the greatest number of falls in the least amount of time at nationals. He had five pins in less than 10 minutes.

Etzler won back-to-back Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and earned All-RMAC honors both seasons. He was also his team's Most Valuable Wrestler both years.

He also earned letters in football in 1982 and 1983, and received first team All-RMAC honors as a defensive lineman as a senior. Etzler served as Fort Lewis College's defensive line coach in 1984 and 1985, and helped the Raiders with their first-ever RMAC title.

He was awarded Fort Lewis College's Outstanding Male Athlete for the 1982-83 school year.

Etzler continued his wrestling career at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trails, narrowly missing a trip to the Los Angeles Olympics with his fourth place finish in the Greco-Roman qualifying.

Prior to arriving at Fort Lewis College, he lettered two years as a wrestler at the University of Utah.