Tribe of Vikings Hall of Fame
When discussing the best wrestlers in a storied Augustana program, it would be difficult to get too far before mentioning Darren Linton. Linton came to Rock Island in 1996 as a wrestler and football player and lettered twice on the gridiron. However, it was grappling for Coach Pat Puebla where Linton left his mark and for which he has earned inclusion in the Tribe of Vikings Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
Linton finished his career with a 132-27 record. His win total was fourth-highest in school history when he graduated in 2000. It still ranks seventh to this day. His .830 winning percentage is sixth-best among Vikings with at least 100 wins and he is one of just 10 four-time CCIW champions in Augustana wrestling history.
A resident of Bridgeview, Illinois and a graduate of Argo High School in Summit, Illinois, Linton was a two-time team MVP and regional champion at Argo. He was a state qualifier and received all-conference honors as well.
After lettering as a reserve running back in Coach Tom Schmulbach’s football program as a freshman, Linton hit the mats for Puebla in the winter of 1996-97. He led the Vikings in takedowns on his way to a 32-14 record, the CCIW 150-pound championship and a third-place finish at the NCAA Division III West Regional in Naperville, Illinois.
As a sophomore, Linton moved up to 158 pounds and improved to 32-8 with seven falls. He won an individual championship at the Augustana Invitational. He helped Augustana win its 30th CCIW team title, claiming the conference crown at 158 pounds with a 4-2 win over North Central’s Darrick Snyder in Rock Island. He went on to qualify for nationals by winning a championship at the NCAA West Regional in Chicago, Illinois.
Linton gave up football as a junior to focus solely on wrestling and was named a team co-captain. Moving up another weight class to 165, he missed time early in the season due an ankle injury suffered in intramurals. However, he didn’t miss a beat when he came back, not dropping a match until the semifinals of the Augustana Invitational. That would be his last defeat until nationals, as he climbed as high as second in the national rankings. He won his third straight CCIW championship, helping the Vikings to another team title in the process. He added his second straight regional title, winning the Great Lakes in Appleton, Wisconsin to advance to nationals in Ewing, New Jersey. After dropping his semifinal match there, he came back to defeat top-seeded Andrey Brener of Western Maryland 2-1 to finish third in the nation and garner All-America honors. He finished the year 33-2 and, not surprisingly, was selected as the Vikings’ MVP.
Linton became a four-time CCIW and three-time regional champion as a senior. He won individual titles at the All-Lutheran Classic and Augustana Invitational and went on to capture his second straight CCIW 165-pound crown. It was his fourth conference championship overall and he was selected as the league’s Most Outstanding Wrestler. The 2000 Great Lakes Regional was held in Elmhurst, Illinois and Linton bested the field for the third straight season. He wrapped up the season with a career-high 35 wins against just three losses.
After graduating from Augustana with a degree in biology, Linton went on to earn his master’s from Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois as well as a teaching certificate from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. For the past 14 years, he’s been a science teacher at his alma mater, Argo High School. In addition to serving as the Argonauts’ head wrestling coach, he also coaches football and was the head softball coach for seven years.
Darren and Jamie Bechina, a former Augustana track & field standout, are the parents to daughter Leila. The family resides in Aurora, Illinois.
Linton expressed thanks “for the education and the incredible relationships I made at Augie. Many are still my best friends today and one is the love of my life and the best mom in the world! I am truly honored to be part of Augustana’s Hall of Fame.” He added congratulations to all of this year’s inductees and singled out coaches Steve Morgenthaler, Kevin Puebla, Pat Marsh and Steve Rusk for thanks. “Most of all I just want to thank my family and tell them how much I love them! Cheers!”
