Joe Seay (1972-1985)
Wrestling – Coach

Joe Seay’s legacy at CSUB began with the very foundation of Roadrunner wrestling. As the program’s inaugural head coach, Seay joined CSUB for its first season in 1972-73 and spent 12 seasons building the `Runners into one of the nation’s most venerated NCAA Division II programs. Under his leadership, CSUB posted a remarkable 184-55-2 dual record, winning at a .768 clip while capturing seven NCAA Division II National Championships.

Seay’s Roadrunner teams became a national powerhouse, producing 30 individual National Champions and 89 All-Americans during his tenure in Bakersfield. His ability to build a championship culture from the ground up helped establish CSUB wrestling as one of the most successful programs in school history and laid the foundation for decades of `Runner excellence on the mat.

Following his time at CSUB, Seay continued to add to one of the most accomplished coaching careers in collegiate wrestling history. In 1985, he took over at Oklahoma State, where he led the Cowboys to a 114-8-2 record and back-to-back NCAA Division I team championships in 1989 and 1990. With those titles, Seay became the first collegiate wrestling coach to win national team championships at both the Division I and Division II levels.

Seay’s success extended to the international stage as well. He guided Team USA to its first-ever Senior World Freestyle Championship in 1993 and led the Americans to another world title in 1995. At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Seay’s wrestlers helped Team USA win the freestyle medal count with five total medals, including three golds. His impact on the sport was recognized in 1998 when he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.

Before his historic collegiate and international coaching career, Seay launched his coaching journey at South Bakersfield High School, where he compiled an extraordinary 177-12-2 record and was named national high school Coach of the Year. From Bakersfield to Stillwater to the world stage, Seay’s career reflected championship leadership at every level.