SMSU Athletics Hall of Honor
Leon Bullerman (1989-91) put together two of the best seasons in SMSU wrestling history and capped it becoming just the second SMSU NAIA national champion in program history.
A native of Adrian, Minn., Bullerman won two Junior College individual national championships at Worthington Community College prior to his arrival at SMSU.
During his first season at SMSU in 1989-90, he compiled a 25-2 record and qualified for the NAIA Championships, but suffered an injury at the NAIA Bi-District meet in January and was forced to missed the remainder of the season.
Bullerman came back determined for his senior year in 1990-91, putting together one of the best seasons in program history. He won the Northern Intercollegiate Conference championship and the NAIA Bi-District championship at 158 pounds. At the NAIA Championships in Butte, Mont., Bullerman was seeded third at 158 and picked up three victories to advance to the national championship match. He closed his remarkable season in a big way, pinning the No. 1 seed from Northern Montana in just 1:09 and was named the meet’s Most Valuable Wrestler.
Bullerman, who helped the Mustangs to a ninth place finish at the 1991 NAIA Championships, closed the season with a 40-3-1 record, setting a school single-season record for victories.
