Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Any athlete who gets a victory in over 90 percent of his competitions is worthy of recognition, and Dave Kling accomplished that feat to earn IUP Athletic Hall of Fame honors.

Kling was a four year letterman in wrestling and two-time team captain at IUP and was an All-American in 1968 after finishing fifth at the NCAA College Division championships. He amassed a career dual meet record of 53-4-2 for an impressive winning percentage of .915.

As a junior in 1967-68, Kling won the Waynesburg Tournament at 137 pounds. On the year, he was 15-1 with his only loss coming against Clarion. At the 1968 national tournament he lost in the first round of the 137 -pound division to Dale Anderson of Michigan State by pintail in 3:32.

As a sophomore in 1966-67, Kling was 15-0 with four pins. In his first year at IUP, he was second in the 130-pound weight class at the 1965 Western Pennsylvania Pre-Christmas Invitational.

Kling stayed at IUP after graduating in 1969, serving on Bill Blacksmith's wrestling coaching staff for one season.

After leaving IUP he coached wrestling at his alma mater, Keystone Oaks High School, for 30 years. His coaching record of 381-152-2 ranks him third all-time in the WPIAL in terms of victories and 14th all-time in the PIAA.

He was named the WPIAL Coach of the Year in 1986 and was recognized as section Coach of the Year seven times.

His coaching resume at Keystone Oaks also includes 22 years as a varsity assistant football coach, 28 years as a track and field coach, including four as head coach, and 10 years as junior varsity golf coach.

In addition to coaching at Keystone Oaks, Kling taught social studies at the school for 32 years.

In 1997 he was inducted into both the Western Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Wrestling halls of fame, and in 2006 he was inducted into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Kling served one year of active service in the U.S. Army and then spent seven years in the reserves.

Kling and his wife, Lynn Ann, are the parents of a son, Robert, and a daughter, Jayme.