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Gophers Hall of Fame Wrestling Coach J Robinson Dies

Robinson led the Gophers to three national titles during his 29 years in charge.
Joe Nelson|
J Robinson
J Robinson | Minnesota Gophers

J Robinson, the legendary Minnesota Gophers wrestling coach, has died at the age of 80.

Robinson led Minnesota to NCAA team titles in 2001, 2022, and 2007, becoming the first team other than Iowa or Oklahoma to win multiple national championships in Division I men's wrestling. It was the continuation of a tremendous career that began with Robinson competing at Oklahoma Sate and qualifying for the 1972 Olympic Greco team.

Robinson, who also coached 14 Gophers to individual national titles, was an Army Ranger who served in Vietnam.

Robinson led the Gophers for 29 seasons before he was fired in 2016 for what athletics director Mark Coyle called "multiple acts of serious misconduct." Robinson was at the forefront of an investigation into the U of M's wrestling program for allegations that members of the team used and distributed Xanax.

According to a two-page letter Coyle sent to Robinson at the time of his firing, Robinson was accused of the following:

  • Failing to disclose drug-related activity by team members
  • Disposing of drugs that student athletes turned over to him
  • Making promises of confidentiality and amnesty to student athletes that he was not authorized to make
  • Disobeying reasonable directives to share information regarding the drug-related activities of wrestling team members with Coyle and the university

Criminal charges were never filed. Xanax is not an illegal drug, nor is it prohibited by the NCAA. But it is a controlled substance that requires a prescription.

Robinson denied most of the allegations, yet he was dismissed on Sept. 7, 2016, and replaced by Brandon Eggum, who remains the head coach to this day.

Robinson's death comes on the same weekend that the Minnesota Vikings announced the deaths of all-time great franchise players Jeff Siemon and Joey Browner.

Robinson's cause of death has not been announced.

This is a developing story.

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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