•Chip Rankin selected to receive the ‘Outstanding American’ Award from National Wrestling Hall of Fame-MN Chapter 

By Tim Douglass

tdouglass@pctribune.com

Charles (Chip) Rankin, current Superintendent of Minnewaska Area Schools, has been selected as the “Outstanding American” by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (NWHOF-MN).

The announcement was made by the NWHOF just before the beginning of the new year.  The Outstanding American award is presented to those individuals who have used the disciplines of wrestling to launch notable careers in other walks of life, such as science and technology, business and industry, government and the military, as well as the arts and humanities.  The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to honor the sport of wrestling by preserving its history, recognizing extraordinary individual achievements, and inspiring future generations.

Rankin will receive the prestigious award at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet to be held on Saturday, April 26 at the Double Tree by Hilton and Conference Center in Austin, Minn.

According to information provided by the NWHOF-MN, Rankin was a member of the 1995 NJCAA national Champion Team at Itasca. He was a four-time Academic All American at Itasca and UM-Duluth.  

Rankin’s Military Service 

Rankin enlisted in the U.S. Army in March of 1994 and earned a commission as Second Lieutenant in February of 1998. Rankin was mobilized seven times for State Active Duty.  In 1997, he earned a Medal of Merit as part of a small team that saved a family from drowning during major flooding.  In 2005, Rankin was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq as a Captain and Company Commander for 210 soldiers, marines and sailors.  In 2006, Rankin’s unit discovered a torture house and saved the lives of three injured Iraqis.  They captured the torturers and sent them to prison. His was the longest serving unit in Iraq in a two-year deployment.  The unit only lost three men in combat and 38 severely wounded.  Rankin led a team of SS-Special teammates on a mission to Afghanistan to train Army-Afghan and Afghan police to defeat terrorist networks.  In 2020, Rankin served as a Task Commander for Task Force Bayonet, a unit of 1,000 soldiers deployed to East Africa.  Security missions included partnering with the Navy Seals and Marine Raiders, and executed 18 missions without losing an American.  

Rankin currently serves as a Colonel and Commander of the 1st Brigade Infantry Division.

Supt. Chip Rankin’s 

biography

Rankin was born in Brainerd, Minn. but subsequently moved to West Waterloo, Iowa, home of Bob Siddens and Dan Gable. His dad was in the Marines, so the family moved when and where he was stationed. They moved to Little Falls when he was in Junior High. Rankin was a three-sport athlete at Little Falls High School, serving as a team captain in Football, Wrestling, and Baseball.

Chip attended Itasca Junior College after graduation where he played football and wrestled for Hall of Famer Mike Rybak, posting a 60-23 record and was a Junior College State Champ as a sophomore helping his team to win the Junior College National Wrestling Tournament. From Itasca, Chip went on to UMD and wrestled for Neal Ladston for two years. Chip had one more year of eligibility remaining due to an injury redshirt, but the program was suddenly and inexplicably dropped–a huge disappointment for Chip along with many of his teammates. 

Rankin finished up his Biology major and Mathematics Minor and got ready for graduation. He was hired to teach Science and coach football and wrestling at Litchfield that following year. The Head Wrestling Coach resigned to go into business over Christmas vacation and the superintendent offered the job to Rankin with the stipulation that he also take over as the Head Softball Coach.

Rankin spent eight years at Litchfield, with his wrestling team taking State Runner-up honors in 2002 and making it to the top step of the podium in 2003. The team went back to State in 2004 with Mike Fiedler at the helm, finishing fifth.

Rankin was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq where he spent two years as Company Commander for 200+ soldiers, marines, and sailors. He came back to take administrative positions at Mora, Bemidji, and Pequot Lakes where he served as Principal and Junior high wrestling coach. After eight years at Pequot Lakes, he was again deployed to Afghanistan and later was deployed to East Africa.  Chip currently serves as Superintendent and head wrestling coach at Minnewaska Area Schools.

Friends and family can attend

Those who would like to attend the Hall of Fame Day celebration honoring Chip Rankin and other inductees can register by contacting syohe@acegroup.cc or spenceryohe@gmail.com.  Or call 320-766-1934 for a registration form.