University of Regina Sports Hall of Fame
Category: Athletes
In his final season at the University of Regina, Dean Schmeichel and the men’s wrestling team brought the school its first national championship in any sport. Schmeichel’s victory in the final match of the 1997 CIAU tournament against a Brock opponent clinched the team championship for Regina and a gold medal at 130 kilograms.
Besides that national gold medal, Schmeichel’s career at the U of R also included a CIAU bronze in 1992 (198 lbs) and a CIAU silver in 1996 (90 kg). He was a three-time Canada West medallist, winning bronze in 1992 and gold in both 1996 and 1997. He was part of the U of R's conference championship-winning teams in both 1996 and 1997.
Following his CIAU career, Schmeichel went on to compile an impressive international resume, which was highlighted by an appearance in the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney where he competed in the men's freestyle competition at 97 kilograms. Schmeichel retired from the national team in 2005 with 15 international medals – including a 96kg gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in England – and 11 national championships.
