Wade Ayala (2007) - Hall of Fame - Montana State University Athletics

Wade Ayala

Induction:
2007
Class:
1987

Wade Ayala Wrestling, 1985-87 Years at MSU: 1985-87 Honors Earned: All-America, 1986 Big Sky MVP, 1986 MIWA Champion, 1986-87 Hometown: Missoula, Montana “He used what we called a tilt, and he was really good at that. He would get so much leverage because of his height. His superiority came on the mat and on the top side.” –Fomer Bobcat coach Lanny Byryant Wade Ayala brought some lofty goals to the Montana State wrestling program in 1985. It wasn’t long before he was re-evaluating. “When I came to MSU I wasn’t clear about my potential as a Division I wrestler,” he said midway through his historic junior season. No stranger to success when he arrived in Bozeman in the fall of 1985, Ayaly was an undefeated state high school champion from Missoula Big Sky and a junior college All-America. As a Bobcat, however, Ayala became a legend. “Wade was just great,” said former Bobcat coach Lanny Bryant, who also coached Ayala at Missoula Hellgate before Ayala moved to Big Sky. “I really don’t have anything negative to say about Wade.” Ayala made history throughout his junior season at Montana State. He became the first Bobcat to win a Mountain Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championship in nearly 20 years in 1986, and claimed the 190-lb Big Sky Conference championship in his hometown. He also became the first Bobcat in history to earn Outstanding Wrestler honors at the Big Sky meet. Ayala wasn’t finished. At the NCAA Championships, he beat Oklahoma State’s Mike Farrell and Dave DeWalt of Delaware before losing to Iowa’s Duane Goldman, the top seed who went on to win the national title. With a chance to finish as high as third, Ayala injured his thumb in a win over Doug Baker of Kent State to clinch All-America honors. He became the first Bobcat ever to score points at the NCAA Championships, an to become All-America. Bryan said Ayala’s performance at the national meet was impressive. “Wade pretty well dominated until he went up against defending national champion,” he said. “I think he had a chance to finish third, but at that point he broke a bone in his hand. He had to forfeit the matches after that. It was a shame.” Wrapping up his junior season with a 30-4 record, Ayala lost two matches to defending national champion Dan Chaid of Oklahoma, and one against the eventual national champion, Goldman. Ayala finished his career with a sterling 3105 regular season record as a senior, winning a second straight MIWA crown. Bryant said Ayala’s advantage came when he wrestled an opponent to the mat. “He used what we called a tilt, and he was really good at it. He would get so much leverage because of his height. His superiority came on the mat and on the top side.” Bryant said Ayala was just as special away from the mat. “Wade was always a leader. I remember him as a real leader a real responsible guy. I would say in my 25 years of coaching, and I had several NAIA All-Americans, that he was probably the best wrestler I ever coached.