GONZALES — Former Gonzales High School wrestling coach Frank Hankin has been chosen to enter the California Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Hankin, who guided the Spartans wrestling team to five Mission Trail Athletic League championships, will be honored at an induction banquet that will take place Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Laguna Hills Community Center.
Hankin was a three-time State placer as a wrestler for Yuma Union High School in Arizona and also played football, ran track and was a member of the gymnastics team.
As a college athlete at the University of Utah, he was a three-time Western Athletic Conference Champion and earned All-American honors by placing fourth in the NCAA tournament.
At Gonzales High, Hankin guided the Spartans to five titles in his six-year tenure at the South Monterey County school. His record in dual meets was 112-5-2. He also coached football and started a youth wrestling club.
After leaving Gonzales, Hankin served as a wrestling coach at Hartnell College in Salinas for one season and was a wrestling official for high school competition in the Central Coast Section for many years.
During his 30 years of teaching and academic counseling, Hankin became director of financial aid and then dean of student affairs at Palomar Community College in San Diego County, where he also coached soccer. He also served two terms as the faculty president, as well as the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference president.
