Lee Roy Smith III (born July 27, 1958) is an American former folkstyle and freestyle wrestler. He represented the United States in freestyle wrestling at the 1983 World Championships at 62 kg, where he won a silver medal. As a collegiate wrestler, he was a four-time Big 8 Conference champion, three-time NCAA Division I All-American, and the 142-pound 1980 NCAA Division I champion, competing for Oklahoma State.
Wrestling career High School Smith attended Del City High School in Del City, Oklahoma. As a high school wrestler, he won two Oklahoma state championships.Palmer, Mark. (December 1, 2015). Lee Roy, Pat Smith now in Del City High Hall of Fame. InterMat. Retrieved May 15, 2025. He also won two Junior National freestyle wrestling championships.Player Bio: Lee Roy Smith. thesundevils.com. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
College He attended Oklahoma State University, where he was a four-time Big 8 Conference champion, a three-time NCAA Division I All-American, and the 142-pound NCAA Division I champion in 1980.Lee Roy Smith. nwhof.org. Retrieved May 15, 2025. Smith was also the first Oklahoma State Cowboy wrestler to earn over 100 career wins.Engel, Adam. (August 14, 2022). Smith, McQuarters, to be inducted into Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. ocolly.com. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
Senior level Following his collegiate career, Smith wrestled on the freestyle Senior level circuit. He represented the United States at the 1983 World Championships in freestyle wrestling at 62 kg, where he won a silver medal.(September 9, 2004). Lee Roy Smith named Executive Director of National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. USA Wrestling. Retrieved May 15, 2025. He won the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at his weight class, only to later lose his spot in a protracted court battle. Smith was also a qualifier at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials.(April 17, 2013). Player Bio: Lee Roy Smith - Arizona State University Official Athletic Site. thesundevils.com. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
Honors In 2022, Smith was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.Former Oklahoma State wrestler Lee Roy Smith III named to Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
In 2026, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.Lee Roy Smith III. nwhof.org. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
Family Lee Roy is the older brother of John Smith, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time World Champion in freestyle wrestling, and Pat Smith, the first four-time NCAA Division I national champion in collegiate wrestling history.(January 31, 2021). John Smith, Pat Smith, Smith Family Etched In Stone Podcast Launches Monday. okstate.com. Retrieved May 15, 2025. Smith's nephews Mark Perry and Chris Perry are also NCAA Division I wrestling national champions, and his other nephew J. T. Realmuto, is an MLB All-Star catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies.
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