
Patrick Kelly
Teacher, Coach, Author
Patrick Kelly spent his formative years in Britt, Iowa. He attended the University of Iowa, where he wrestled under coach Dan Gable, before transferring to the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he finished his college career under the guidance of coach Mike Denney. He has always considered himself a student of the sport and has collected numerous magazine articles and wresting books for decades.
Kelly has written articles for several publications, including Wrestling Insider News Magazine (WIN), and has produced hundreds of podcast episodes for USA Wrestling-Kansas (USAWKS) and the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association (KWCA).
He has been a teacher and coach for thirty years and is a National Board Certified Teacher. He lives in Topeka, Kansas, with his wife Lisa. They have three grown children.

K-State’s Wrestling Legacy
Stories, Stats, & Personalities that Shape the Sport in Kansas & Beyond
For over 50 years, Kansas State University offered a wrestling program that became the state’s flagship program at the collegiate level. However, K-State wrestling has now been dormant for half a century.
K-State’s Wrestling Legacy gives readers a comprehensive look at the program’s history and connects it to the sport’s growth in the Sunflower State and its national influence.
Praise for K-State's Wrestling Legacy
“I competed against Kansas State during college. Sadly, the program was dropped, but wrestling fans in Kansas and nationwide will get a lot out of Pat Kelly’s book. It is an entertaining and interesting read full of historical information not only about Kansas State and the sport of wrestling but also events and personalities that will motivate readers in their personal and professional lives.”
-- Dan Gable, 1968 and 1969 NCAA Champion for Iowa State, 1972 Olympic Champion, coached the Iowa Hawkeyes to 15 NCAA titles, distinguished member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
“Patrick Kelly’s penchant for wanting to know more is extremely evident in this book. As a wrestling historian, I understand the reaction to feeling like you don’t know the answer. Now, when people ask about the history of Kansas State wrestling, people around the state and the country have a resource to not only learn, but to be able to re-tell the stories contained within. Wrestling is full of colorful and unique personalities and Patrick’s delivered the stories and personalities with K-State wrestling’s short, but interesting history to the community. It’s one of those books you will read once but refer to it constantly in the future.”
--Jason Bryant, wrestling historian, award-winning journalist, public address announcer for numerous NCAA championships and the London, Rio, and Paris Olympics
“Patrick Kelly has written an account of the Kansas State University wrestling program that is important on a number of levels; primarily preserving and sharing the history of a program that has been dormant for half a century. It is entertaining, historically accurate, and filled with stories that any wrestling enthusiast will enjoy.”
-- Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association, 2022 Order of Merit recipient from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame
“Honor, Preserve, and Inspire! Pat Kelly has written the history of a program that has been gone for 50 years. As a coach of a program that met a similar fate, I applaud and commend his work! Because of his dedicated effort, future generations will now be aware of the rich history of the Kansas State University wrestling program.”
-- Mike Denney, coached the University of Nebraska at Omaha to seven NCAA DII titles. Member of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame