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A former NFL Pro Bowler for the Pittsburgh Steelers and and brief MMA competitor, Haselrig was a collegiate wrestling legend
Former six-time collegiate wrestling champion, Pro Bowl offensive lineman, and MMA fighter Carlton Haselrig passed away in his Johnstown, PA home on July 22, 2020—reportedly due to natural causes. He was 54 years of age. Among his many athletic achievements, Haselrig is best know for his unparralleled success as a wrestler for Pittsburgh-Johnstown college in the late 80s.
For many years, the winners of the NCAA D-II & D-III national wrestling championships received invites to compete in the NCAA D-I tournament—the premiere proving ground for collegiate athletic success. And over those years, it wasn’t unheard of for a few of these lower tiered competitors to make some waves at DI nationals, but typically their presence was a matter of recognizing their achievement.
That all changed with Carlton Haselrig.
After placing third his freshman year at D-II nationals for Pitt-Johnstown at heavyweight, Haselrig made significant strides in his wrestling game. He became known for his agility and positional grace, often demonstrating the footwork of a much lighter wrestler.
As a sophomore he began an unprecedented undefeated streak, running through D-II competition, and earning himself a bid at the DI nationals in the process.
On the top side of the 1987 brackets, Edinboro’s Dean Hall upset the #1 seed, future MMA standout Tom Erikson, to reach the finals. Haselrig battled hard, pinning Rod Severn (brother of Dan!) in the semifinals.
Haselrig and Hall neutralized one another with their solid positioning and powerful handfighting. The clock ticked down at the end of the third period, it appeared they would go to overtime.
Perhaps overzealous, Hall thought to steal the match, taking a quick leg attack off the snap fake.
Unconvinced, Haselrig sprawled and downblocked, immediately passing by the arms to hit a match-winning go-behind on Hall, avenging an earlier career loss. That win for the D-II standout was the start of a run that would change college wrestling.
His junior year, Haselrig ran through the D-II scene again to earn another bid at D-I nationals. He won by pin, pin, and major decision before winning comfortably over Rod Severn, making it to the finals where he would dominate 12-2.
To the surprise of no one, Haselrig capped off his senior year without a loss, earning his third D-I title and his sixth overall NCAA championship. It had never been done.
And after Haselrig did it, the NCAA made sure that it would never be done again.
Many D-I wrestlers and their supporters were upset. The rigor of the D-I season, they argued, was incomparable to the other divisions. Essentially, wrestlers like Haselrig were able to stay fresh while wrestling an “easy” season, in their eyes. That slant does not do justice to Haselrig’s run, however. Apart from his D-II and tournament success, he was wrestling at D-I tournaments during the regular season as well—even defeating future Olympic champion Kurt Angle, and finding himself toe-to-toe with the greatest American heavyweight of all time, Bruce Baumgartner.
However, the appeals of his D-I competition were heard, and the NCAA decided to no longer offer DI national bids to D-II & D-III champions.
They call it, “The Haselrig Rule”.
Carlton Haselrig set a standard that no wrestler will ever be able to match. Current Bellator prospect Joey Davis won four NCAA Division 2 titles without a loss or a redshirt season, Cael Sanderson had four undefeated Division 1 seasons, but with the rules standing as they are now, no one will ever beat Haselrig’s six titles.
Despite his obvious promise on the mats, Haselrig opted for a lucrative career in the NFL, rather than chase the an Olympic dream.
Battles with substance abuse ended Haselrig’s brief, but distinguished NFL career. But, after spending time recuperating and healing with his family in Johnstown, the itch to compete returned.
Carlton Haselrig fought in mixed martial arts five times between 2008 and 2009. His last bout, a loss to collegiate football player and future UFC fighter Shawn Jordan.
Haselrig’s legacy and the details of his remarkable story were captured in a collaborative effort with Coach Kevin Emily in his biography, Giant Killer. Haselrig and Emily self-published the novel and appeared together at the 2019 NCAA Division 1 Championships in Pittsburgh.