What an honor! Many schools never have a single Iowa High School Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee but this year, Southeast Polk has two! Recognized at the Iowa High School Boys Wrestling State Championships Finals on Saturday night, 2009-2012 SEP wrestler Cory Clark and 2001-2020 head coach Jason Christenson received well-deserved honors for their incredible accomplishments and contributions to wrestling in the state of Iowa. Congratulations to these amazing men for their achievements!
CORY CLARK
A four-time state champion from 2009-12 with a career record of 185-1. Clark was twice named Iowa’s Mr. Wrestler, his titles for coach Jason Christenson’s Rams came at 103, 112, 119, and 126 pounds. He was also a national junior champion in both freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling. Clark would go on to become a four-time All-American and 2017 national champion with the University of Iowa, competing in three finals and finally taking the 133-pound championship as a senior. Clark lives outside Chicago, Illinois and coaches wrestling at Montini Catholic High School.
JASON CHRISTENSON
A native of Anamosa, Christenson wrestled for his father Denny and they would become the second father-son coaches to earn team wrestling titles in Iowa as Jason developed into one of the winningest coaches in state history. Christenson coached at Collins-Maxwell-Baxter (1991-97), Oskaloosa (1997-2001), and Southeast Polk (2001-20), totaling nine state championships – five dual team, four traditional tournament – and six runner-up finishes.
This Hall of Fame honor is added to his numerous previous accolades. He was named State Coach of the Year 6 times across IWCOA, USA Wrestling, and All-Iowa, and was a 2X National Coach of the Year recipient. He became a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2020 and the Iowa Wrestling HOF in 2023.
His teams qualified for 15 state dual team tournaments, and won 19 conference titles, earning him a 482-106-6 career dual team record. Individually, Christenson’s squads logged 186 state qualifiers, 127 state medalists and 25 state champions, including nine straight trophy finishes at Southeast Polk. Outside the high school season, he is a major contributor to Iowa/USA Wrestling serving currently as State Chair and previously as a director and coach, taking cadet and junior teams to Fargo and abroad. Christenson continues to teach at Southeast Polk. He and his wife Jeannie have a son, Gabe, who was a two-time state champion and is on the University of Virginia wrestling team.
This prestigious recognition is a testament to Coach C’s outstanding contributions, dedication, and impact on the sport, as well as the countless athletes whose lives have been positively influenced by his coaching. His induction into the Hall of Fame is not only a recognition of his coaching expertise but also a celebration of his commitment to the sport. Acting as a role model, his teams have consistently exemplified respect, and a passion for wrestling that extends beyond wins and losses.
Congratulations!
