Class of 2000

Otto Zeman III,

Riverside-Brookfield/Northwestern
University/LaGrange (Lyons Township)

Otto Zeman placed 2nd in the state in 1965 at 154 lb. for Riverside-Brookfield. After graduation he move on to Northwestern University. He was a 3-Time Big 10 Conference Tournament finalist and in 1968 he earned All-American status with a fifth place finish in the NCAA tournament. He was team captain of the 1969 Wildcat team.

He coached for 13 years at Riverside-Brookfield, 12 years as the head coach. During that period Otto produced 20 State Qualifiers, 10 Placewinners including 2 State Champions. His teams won 1 West Suburban Conference Championship, 3 Regional Titles and his 1983 team placed 3rd in the State for Class AA. Otto moved on to the assistant coach position at LaGrange (Lyons Township). While at Lyons Township he has helped coach 30 State Qualifiers, 14 State Placewinners, including 5 State Champions. His two sons, Matt (5th and 3rd) and Bill (2 Time Champion) are among those placewinners.

During this time, Lyons Township has won 7 Conference Titles, 5 Regional crowns, place 3rd in the Dual Team State in 1992 and the 1995 squad was undefeated when the Dual Team Championship series was canceled. In 1996 Otto was named by the IWCOA as Assistant Coach of the Year. He was selected by the IWCOA as a "Friend of Wrestling" in 1997. From 1997 to the present he has been Co-Chairman of the Friends of Illinois Wrestling, an organization devoted to the promotion and support of the University of Sinois Wrestling. He has served as writer, publisher, and editor of the Friends of Illinois Newsletter during this time.