Digger O’Dell

Inducted: 2026

Sport: Wrestling

Schools: Thatcher, Pima, Round Valley , Kearney Ray, Show Low, Queen Creek Jr. High School

Coach Digger O’Dell served his country 13 months in Vietnam earning 2 Purple Hearts.  His military service gave him the privilege of the G.I. Bill for college tuition.  O’Dell enrolled at Eastern Arizona Junior College and played football and wrestled at the Thatcher school.  Digger completed his education at Arizona State University in special education.

Coach O’Dell returned to Thatcher, AZ as a teacher and was the Head Wrestling Coach and an assistant football coach at Thatcher High School.   His career led him to Round Valley where he also assisted in football and coached wrestling.   The RV Elks were state champions in football and state runners-up in wrestling during his stay in Eagar.  His travels continued on the Kearney Ray High School where he was the head coach in wrestling and football.  Digger moved back to the White Mountains to Show Low High School for the next 10 years and coached wrestling and football.  Coach O’Dell next made his longest stop near home at Pima High School for 25 years as their head coach and assistant football coach.  His last prep stop was at Queen Creek Jr. High School coaching wrestling for 2 years.   His Pima teams were Wrestling State Champions in 1996 and were runners up and third one more time each.  The annual invitational wrestling tournament in Pima is  now named after Digger O’Dell.

In addition to his coaching history Coach O’Dell has accumulated the following resume of achievements:  Induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015, All-Star Wrestling Coach three times, 75% overall winning percentage with 315 wins, 8 regional championships, 9 years the AIA State Wrestling Tournament Director, AIA ref 6 years, AIA Legislative Council, conference coach of the year three times, and Grand Marshall of the 2025 Arizona State Wrestling Tournament,