That was the year Scott Collins captured the program’s first national championship at the NCAA Championships at Iowa City, Iowa.

Collins, a 142-pounder, helped West Virginia to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA event – still the school’s highest finish ever.

Collins defeated Iowa’s Troy Steiner on his home mat in front of a hostile and partisan crowd that approached 15,000.

"Iowa always has always had a great following," Collins recalled. "It was definitely lopsided toward (Steiner) but all of the other wrestling families started rooting for the West Virginia guy, and I was kind of adopted by a lot of other schools.

"I just tried to turn positives out of those negative situations," he added.

Now almost 10 years removed, Collins can still recall most of his memorable weekend.

"I do remember a good part of the whole weekend," Collins revealed. "It’s hard to believe it’s going to be 10 years this winter. I teach eighth grade and it seems like a year is forever for a 13 or 14-year-old. But now for a 31-year-old like me time is just flying by."

Collins’ national title culminated a magical 1991 season for the Clearfield, Pa., native. Earlier that January, he became just the second Mountaineer wrestler invited to participate in NWCA All-Star Classic. Collins defeated Oklahoma State’s Chuck Barbee.

"It’s neat," Collins mentioned. "All of the sudden someone jumps up and reminds you either with an invite here or an honor there. When I become an old man, those will be the stories I can tell and embellish."

Collins was one of three WVU Eastern Wrestling League champions in 1991, and six Mountaineer national qualifiers. He became the first wrestler in school history to be named EWL wrestler of the year – a feat matched since by just 1994 national champion Dean Morrison and 2000 NCAA runner-up Vertus Jones.

Collins, a three-time NCAA qualifier, produced 119 career victories – a total matched at WVU by just Jim Akerly. His 40 wins in 1991 are also a school standard equaled by only Akerly.

Collins was a part of two-straight EWL dual-meet championship teams in 1990 and 1991.

"I am happy with our program," said Collins. "It started out in the top 20 when I was there and it has just escalated."

Since Collins graduated in 1991, West Virginia has had five top 25 finishes at the NCAA tournament, accumulated 13 NCAA All-Americans, and has become a fixture in the top 20 dual-meet rankings.

The 2000 campaign was the 11^th straight year West Virginia has placed at least four wrestlers in the NCAA tournament.

"Jimmy Akerly and I were hanging out at wrestling camp helping Zeke Jones and I think we counted 13 All-Americans. The West Virginia program is so fortunate to have a Zeke Jones and a Cary Kolat bringing national and international attention to their training regimen. It’s just amazing," Collins marveled.

Today Collins teaches eighth grade health and physical education back in his hometown of Clearfield, Pa. Three years ago he married former WVU gymnast Beth Foltz.

Scott frequently manages to make the four-hour drive down to Morgantown to kayak on the Cheat River.

"When I came home last weekend I said to my wife ‘it’s unbelievable how much Morgantown has changed in the short time we’ve been gone,’" he said.

When he doesn’t slip down to Morgantown, he spends the rest of his time preaching the virtues of a great WVU education to Clearfield, Pa., youngsters.

"I’m always the first one to step up and mention West Virginia to kids," Collins said. "WVU is just a great place to be."

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