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verbeek
Photo: Iowa Athletics

Iowa assistant coach Verbeek named to UWW Hall of Fame

Iowa Sports Information
Jul 29

PARIS -- University of Iowa assistant women's wrestling coach Tonya Verbeek was named to the 2024 United World Wrestling Hall of Fame class, announced Monday.

Verbeek has nearly two decades of experience competing for and coaching the Canadian National Team.


As a competitor, Verbeek attended three Olympics competing at 55 kg and finished on the podium in all three. In 2004 she became the first woman to win a wrestling medal for Canada, taking silver in Athens. In 2008 she left Beijing with a bronze medal, and in London in 2012, she earned her second silver medal.
The Grimsby, Ontario, native was an 11-time Canadian National Champion. At the World Wrestling Championships, she earned bronze in 2005 and 2009 and silver in 2011. She finished second in 2003 and 2011 at the Pan-American Games and third in 2007. At the 2010 Commonwealth Games, she finished second at 59 kg.

Verbeek was named Ontario Athlete of the Year in 2005 and was enshrined in the St. Catharines Sports Hall of Fame in 2019. She served as the head men's and women's Canadian National Team coach from 2019-21, was the international coach from 2017-19 and served as a Talent Identification Coach from 2013-17. She was awarded the Petro Canada Coaching Excellence Award in 2019.

Verbeek will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday August 5 during a ceremony in Paris.