Pioneering Head Coach Bonheim, who founded the Flames wrestling program in 1973, dies at 95

Bob Bonheim, the founding head coach of Liberty University's men's wrestling program from 1973-86 who guided the Flames to five consecutive NCCAA national championships from 1977-81, died Thursday at the age of 95. (Read the Liberty Athletics story about Bonheim's career.)

That championship run coincided with the career of Liberty four-time NCCAA individual national champion Jesse Castro, who went on to serve as his assistant coach for three seasons from 1983-86. Bonheim retired after leading the Flames to a fifth-place NCAA Division II national ranking in 1985-86.

"He was foundational," said Castro, who later carried on Bonheim's legacy as head coach for 20 seasons and re-established the program's dynasty at the Club Sports level before retiring this summer and passing the baton to his son-in-law and former Assistant Coach Chris Williamson. "Coach Bonheim was a spiritual mentor for me, of course, during those formative years, and I learned a lot about what I know from him."

Although Bonheim never competed in the sport of wrestling, he was an excellent motivator as he also spent four seasons as defensive line coach for the Flames Football program.

"He was an expert in conditioning and fitness," Castro said. "He'd be the first person to tell us he never wrestled, and he allowed the most experienced wrestlers in his program to do most of the teaching on the mat. That was the reason he was so successful. He didn't have a problem with his ego and allowed others to come in and coach technique."

He said Bonheim's testimony shows the power of the Holy Spirit to work through a willing vessel to accomplish what he couldn't on his own.
"Ultimately, it was the Lord Who raised him at that particular time, and to build the program into the No. 5 team in the country at the NCAA Division II level was exceptional, especially coming from someone who never wrestled before."

In his 12 seasons at the helm, Bonheim led the Flames to a 118-31 dual meet record and coached 35 All-Americans, including eight at the NCAA DII level and 21 NCCAA national champions.

Castro revived the program at the NCAA Division I level in 2005 and was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012, the year after it was reclassified as a Club Sports team in 2011-12. He guided the Flames to five NCWA Grand National team championships — including the first in Club Sports history in 2015 — and six NCWA National Duals team titles in 14 seasons.

Bonheim, who was inducted into the Liberty Athletics Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 2009 — along with Liberty founder Dr. Jerry Falwell, Arthur L. Williams (namesake of the Flames Football stadium), Kelvin Edwards (football), Elena (Kisseleva) Bengds (women's basketball), Karl Hess (men's basketball), and Sid Bream (baseball) — was joined in the Hall of Fame in 2013 by his wife, Brenda Bonheim. She was a pioneer for women's athletics during her 26-year association with the athletics department, helping to start the women's basketball (1975-76) and volleyball (1976) programs and serving as both programs' inaugural head coach. She also was Liberty's first-ever Senior Woman Administrator, serving in that position from 1977 until she retired from athletics in 2000. She died in 2020.

Castro said Bob Bonheim was longing to be reunited with Brenda as well as to see his Savior face to face and hear Him say, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant."

"It is both a sad and a happy day," he said. "Absolutely, he's been wanting this for quite some time, going on to his mansion up in Heaven. He's been praying for that."

By Ted Allen/Staff Writer

Pioneering Head Coach Bonheim, who founded the Flames wrestling program in 1973, dies at 95

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