
Gonzales perfected the takedown during his time as a 118-pound wrestler at California State University, Bakersfield. His 1980 wrestling season ranks among the finest in collegiate wrestling history. Gonzales’ 55-0 record is the national record for the most wins in a single season with no defeats and no ties. He notched 448 takedowns that year too, also a national record.
During his career, CSU Bakersfield was a Division II program, so Gonzales had a unique opportunity to win championships in two different divisions. He won the Division II NCAA tournament on March 1, 1980, with a 28-11 win in the championship finals. Then, just two weeks later, he won the Division I NCAA tourney, scoring 16 points or more in four of the six matches he won during his championship run.
His junior season was almost as successful. Gonzales went 44-1 during the 1979 season, winning a Division II championship with a 22-14 win in the finals. He entered the Division I NCAA tournament as the top seed, but dropped a thrilling 16-13 decision to Gene Mills of Syracuse in the finals. Many consider their exhilarating showdown as the most entertaining collegiate match ever. Gonzales also earned a California Junior College state title for East Los Angeles College.
Gonzales carried his collegiate success into international competition. He was a five-time National Open freestyle wrestling champion at 114.5 pounds, winning titles in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1988. “Gonzo” was also a five-time U.S. World Team member, a three-time World Cup champion, a bronze medalist at the 1982 World Championships, and champion at the 1982 Tbilisi tournament—considered by many as the toughest tournament in the world. He was a member of the 1984 Olympic freestyle team as well.
After college, Gonzales served as an assistant wrestling coach at Arizona State from 1986-1989. The Sun Devils won the Pac-10 tournament all four seasons he was with the program, and they were crowned NCAA tournament champions in 1988.
In recognition of a record-setting wrestling career, Joe Gonzales is recognized as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.