Thomas E. Kingsley

Class of 1965

Thomas E. Kingsley (alias, Tom or T.K.) was a student at Rogers High School from 1961-1965.  Tom proved himself to be a top athlete having found his talent in the sport of wrestling.  In 1965, Tom’s senior year, he won the Ohio High School Wrestling Championship with the score of 6-1 in the 138 pound division.  The state finals were held in St. John’s Arena at the Ohio State University.

Tom was granted a college scholarship to Ohio University where he wrestled his freshman year.  Tom transferred to the University of Toledo where he studied in the field of business.  He became a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity.  In his senior year at U.T., Tom was drafted into the Army and left for Vietnam at the end of December 1970.  On March 20, 1971 just two weeks following his twenty-fourth birthday, Tom was killed by friendly fire.

In memory of Tom, friends and fraternity brothers planted a tree with a memorial plaque near the tennis courts of the University of Toledo where it stands today.  Each year, since the inception of the Rogers High School Wrestling Tournament, the outstanding wrestler of the tournament is presented with the Tom Kingsley Memorial Award.