Bob Billberg
Wrestler ⋅ Class of 1987
Libertyville High School | Waukegan High School
Bob wrestled for Waukegan High School, under the guidance of Hall of Famer Ott Bay, now deceased. Bob won the heavyweight title for Waukegan in 1962.
Wrestling for Moorhead State College in Minnesota, Bob won the NAIA National Championship at Heavyweight in 1964; the team won the Team Title. That same year the placed 2nd in the NCAA Division I Championships and became the only man to defeat Jim Nance of Syracuse in college. He defeated Nance in the Semifinals. In 1965, Bob placed 3rd in the NAIA, fighting off illness, with the team dropping to fourth. In 1966, Bob again won the NAIA Championship and led the team in wins. The team finished 2nd. Bob continued to the NCAA Division I Nationals where he once again finished second. His losses in the Division I finals were to Joe James of Tilden Tech and Oklahoma State and Dave Porter of Michigan.
After graduation, he began his coaching career at Deerfield as an assistant to Steve Combs. He took over the Libertyville program in 1972-1973 and is culminating a 15 year tenure there with his retirement from wrestling in 1987.
While at Libertyville, his teams have won 190 lost 80 and tied 2 dual meets; won 4 North Suburban Conference Titles; 5 Regionals and 2 Sectionals Runner-ups. He won the Team Sectional and advanced to the State in 1986.
Bob was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame as a wrestler in 1984.