Jim Matney’s name is headed to one of wrestling’s biggest stages, and the recognition comes years after his death.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has notified Matney’s family that he will be honored posthumously with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award, a distinction that celebrates the impact he made on the sport and the athletes who played for him. Matney died five years ago.
A Belfry High School graduate in 1977, Matney was a force in three sports - football, wrestling and baseball. He went on to wrestle at Liberty University, where he made his mark on the mat and later served as an alternate on the 1984 U.S. Olympic wrestling team.
His coaching path took shape at Sheldon Clark High School in 1983, where he worked with both football and wrestling. On the wrestling side, his teams won Kentucky state team titles in 1994 and 1995, and 17 of his wrestlers won individual state championships under his direction.
Matney’s football resume grew even bigger when he took over at Johnson Central in 2004. He helped turn the Golden Eagles into one of Kentucky’s top programs, guiding them to five straight state championship game appearances and state titles in 2016 and 2019.
He also kept piling up wrestling success at Johnson Central. The Golden Eagles won state wrestling dual-meet championships in 2019 and 2021 under his leadership, and he coached ten individual state champions there as well.
Across his career, Matney built more than winning programs. He was a steady force for Eastern Kentucky, and his influence reached far beyond the scoreboard through the athletes, families and communities he helped shape.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremonies are scheduled for June 4-5, 2027, at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
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