Sept. 3, 2012

TEMPE – Funeral services have been announced for former Arizona State NCAA wrestling champion Eddie Urbano.

The services will be held at the Del Angel Funeral Home on Sunday, Sept. 9 in Tucson, Ariz., located at 7 East University Blvd., 85705.

Viewing services are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. with a prayer to follow at 2 p.m.

A memorial fund has been set up through Wells Fargo for those wishing to donate towards the funeral services. The information is as follows:

Eddie Urbano Memorial Fund
Wells Fargo Bank
#1459188015

Eddie was a two-time All-American at Arizona State at 150 pounds and in 1984 (3rd) and 1985, when he became just ASU's second NCAA Champion in school history and the first since Curley Culp in 1967.

Eddie was the first NCAA Champion for legendary ASU coach Bobby Douglas, and set the groundwork for the team's first and only NCAA Championship in 1988.  Urbano was a two-time Pac-12 Champion at 150 pounds as well. 

Eddie started a stream of talented wrestlers making their way to ASU from Tucson as he posted a career record of 105-17-1 with the Sun Devils.  Those 105 victories rank Eddie 17th on ASU's all-time wins list despite only competing for three years as a Sun Devil.  He finished his career with 52 dual victories, good for 11th in ASU's all-time record books. 

As a senior, he helped ASU win the Pac-10 team title and was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.  Eddie was inducted into the Arizona State Sports Hall of Fame in 1999.  Eddie also earned a junior college national title during his time competing at Pima Community College in Tucson. 

A Tucson native, Eddie became one of the first native Arizonans to win an NCAA Championship (Culp came out of Yuma, Ariz.).  Eddie was a state champion in high school at perennial powerhouse Sunnyside High School and is part of an elite history at that program that has served as a pipeline for numerous Sun Devil talents through the years.

After his time at Arizona State, he became the 1988 Olympic Trials runner-up at 68 kg.  Following that, he went on to couch across the state and the city of Tucson, helping numerous individuals go on to achieve their collegiate wrestling dreams.