Sam Hazewinkel

Sam Hazewinkel is a former Olympic wrestler who has transitioned into a dedicated wrestling coach, sharing his extensive experience with collegiate athletes. After winning the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in freestyle wrestling, Sam Hazewinkel went on to represent the United States at the 2012 London Olympics in the freestyle 55 kg division, a significant capstone to a distinguished competitive career. Hazewinkel had already established himself as a wrestling prodigy during his high school years at Pensacola Christian Academy, achieving an undefeated record of 140-0 and securing three Florida state championships.

His prowess extended to Greco-Roman wrestling, where he earned the title of a two-time Junior National Greco-Roman Champion. Building on this success, Hazewinkel transitioned to international competition, notably becoming the 2008 University World Champion in Greco-Roman wrestling. His Olympic journey was particularly historic, as he and his father, David Hazewinkel, became the first father-son duo to both compete on the U.S. Olympic wrestling team.

Following his illustrious competitive career, Hazewinkel seamlessly transitioned his expertise to coaching, contributing to various collegiate wrestling programs. He served as the head wrestling coach for Oklahoma City University throughout the 2019 and 2020 seasons, where he guided the team with his invaluable experience. Prior to this, he also held the position of head coach for the Oklahoma Regional Training Center, a key role in developing elite wrestling talent. Currently, Hazewinkel continues to shape the next generation of wrestlers as a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma.

In this role, he leverages his background as an Olympic athlete and decorated champion to mentor and develop collegiate athletes, fostering both their technical skills and competitive spirit.