Prairie du Chien native and current WIAA Associate Director Mel Dow was one of nine Lifetime Service to Wrestling honorees inducted into the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2026 at the Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells on Sunday, May 17.

According to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame web site, “Lifetime Service To Wrestling Recognition is awarded to individuals who have shown exceptional dedication to the sport of wrestling for 20 years or more. This honor celebrates those who have made significant contributions to the development of leadership and citizenship among youth through their involvement in wrestling.”

The organization continues on to describe the purpose of the hall of fame and its impact at the state level. “The National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s State Chapters honor deserving individuals within their respective states. Since 1996, the Wisconsin Chapter has been acknowledging individuals who have made an impact on the sport within the state. The contributions of the 2026 inductees will be permanently commemorated at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. This enduring recognition serves as a testament to their lasting influence on wrestling and their commitment to advancing the sport.”

Dow, a 1992 graduate of Prairie du Chien High School, taught and coached at PdC High School from 1999 to 2010 before becoming athletics and activities director at Stoughton High School, a position he held until joining the WIAA in 2021.

While a student at UW-La Crosse, Dow was instrumental in helping launch and coach Wisconsin’s first visually impaired national wrestling team in 1996-97.

In 10 seasons as Prairie du Chien Wrestling Head Coach, the Hawks went 94-82 overall in dual meets, including 30-25 in SWAL and SWC duals with two team conference championships. He also coached 16 individual state qualifiers and the program’s first individual state champion Mike Lenzendorf during his coaching tenure at Prairie du Chien High School.