Chris Perry

Chris Perry is an American amateur wrestler notable for his collegiate career. He was born to Mark and Cathy Perry and is the nephew of John Smith, a highly successful wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University, who achieved two Olympic titles and four World titles. Chris also has an older brother, Mark Perry Jr., who earned two NCAA titles wrestling for Iowa. Chris Perry made a name for himself in high school, winning the Junior Hodge Trophy in 2009 as the nation’s top high school wrestler, and securing four state championships for Stillwater High School. This early success laid the groundwork for his collegiate career where he continued to excel in the sport.

Perry attended Oklahoma State University, where he demonstrated consistent high-level performance. He was a three-time All-American and qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2011. His collegiate career culminated in winning two NCAA Division 1 championships, first in 2013 and again in 2014. He also achieved a third-place finish in the 2012 NCAAs. After his competitive wrestling career, Perry transitioned into coaching, joining the Cowboy Wrestling team at Oklahoma State University as an assistant coach in 2017. He had previously served two years as a volunteer assistant coach before his promotion to full-time.

Beyond his collegiate achievements, Perry also competed internationally. He placed fifth in the Junior World Championships in 2009 and earned a third-place finish in the Junior World Championships in 2010. During 2013, he achieved third-place finishes in both the Ziolkowski International and Sargsyan International tournaments. In 2014, he placed second in the World University Championships and third in the U.S. World Team Trials, also becoming a University Nationals champion in the same year. He was ranked No. 3 at 86 kg/189 lbs on the 2014-15 Team USA roster, reflecting his continued impact in the sport at a national level.