CEDAR FALLS — Bob Siddens, who directed Waterloo West to 11 state wrestling championships, passed away Wednesday night. He was 93 years old.

Siddens graduated from Eagle Grove in 1943, where he was a four-time state wrestling qualifier and two-time runner-up. He also set a school-record in the half-mile and played football for the Eagles.

After serving in the military during World War II, Siddens attended the Iowa State Teachers College — which would later become the University of Northern Iowa — to play football and wrestle. He returned to Eagle Grove as a coach before landing at Waterloo West in 1950.

Siddens’ first Wahawk team captured state gold and won 88 consecutive duals at one point. He finished unbeaten 14 times, going 327-26-3 overall.

Waterloo West was also a state runner-up seven times, finished third three more times and crowned 51 individual state champions during his time on the sidelines from 1950-77. Siddens retired from the school after 40 years in 1990.

Among those that he coached include Dan Gable, John and Bob Bowlsby, Dale Anderson. Siddens was also a wrestling official and served as the athletic director at Waterloo West from 1964-90.

“Sadly, my high school coach, and one of the greatest influences in my life, Bob Siddens, passed away peacefully in his sleep,” Gable posted on Twitter Thursday. “Arrangements for a funeral are pending at this time, but his family has stated it will most likely take place next week.”

Siddens has been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, the United States Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame, the National High School Sports Hall of Fame and the International Wrestling Hall of Fame among several others.

“He was total class,” said former Fort Dodge Senior High wrestling coach Don Miller. “We were both athletic directors at the same time and again he was one of the classiest men I ever got to work alongside. Since we were both Eagle Grove graduates, we always had a special friendship.

“He is, in my eyes, the greatest high school coach in the long heralded state of Iowa for wrestling. He influenced thousands of athletes and coaches in Iowa. He will be missed, but never forgotten. R.I.P. my friend.”

He earned Iowa and National Coach of the Year honors numerous times, was the president of the Iowa Coaches and Officials Association and has the Waterloo West gyn named in his honor.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Locke Funeral Home in Waterloo. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, and children JoEllen, Scott, Todd, Beth, Erica and Kara, along with 18 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.