His success is no longer measured in victories.
Lincoln McIlravy is a businessman now.
In a few months, he’ll open his first venture in Coralville: an 81-room Comfort Suites hotel, equipped with a pool and a 100-foot water slide for the kids and all the necessary amenities for the business traveler.
Typical McIlravy. When he jumps into something, he doesn’t spend much time dipping his toes to test the water.
He was the same way about wrestling for nearly 25 years. He left Iowa with three NCAA titles and the second-best winning percentage in school history. He won the bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics. He was viewed as an up-and-coming prospect to become a big winner in coaching, too.
But there were only a handful of programs that McIlravy considered places he would want to coach one day.
“Those jobs probably only come open once in my lifetime, “he said. “It was something that was completely out of my control. Not to be cynical about it, but I just didn’t know what my odds were of ever being a head coach at one of those schools I would like to go to.”
As his competitive career came to a close in 2003, McIlravy began to consider a livelihood outside of wrestling. He contemplated opening a restaurant. Then, a couple of friends steered him toward hotels. In the past three years, he’s been learning the intricacies of the business.
“I wish I would’ve gotten a business degree, “he said. “But I’m getting the real world version of it right now.”
— Andy Hamilton
Wrestling Gear
