Servies, 63, completed his 40th season as wrestling coach with an 11-2 mark. His motto of “Victory is Sweat” has certainly been proven by the outstanding mark of 38 consecutive winning seasons at Wabash, with a career record of 487-118-8. His 487 career victories place him second in the nation among active coaches.
Servies’ 1999-2000 team was named the GPA National Champions at the NCAA Division III Championships, marking the second time in three years that his squad has led the nation academically. Servies has guided 21 Phi Beta Kappa graduates, three NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients, and dozens of Coaches Association All-Academic Team members, including four members of this season’s squad. His .795 winning percentage is among the highest in the nation at any level. He has also coached several All-Americans, including Ryan Mills this season, Dan Emerson in 1998, and Servies’ son Tim in 1987.
“The past 45 years as a student, coach, and athletic director have given me some great memories,” said Servies. “It’s not the wins and losses, it’s the people I’ve been fortunate enough to work with each year. It has been great fun, because it has been spent with Wabash men and it was for Wabash College.”
Servies’ teams recorded undefeated seasons in both 1980-81 (23-0) and 1986-87 (18-0) in dual meets. His coaching honors include four conference Coach of the Year awards in two different conferences. He is a member of the Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame, the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and the Wabash College Athletic Hall of Fame. His work as an assistant football coach also earned him a place in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame. He received the Wabash Alumni Award of Merit in 1983, the highest honor the alumni of the College can bestow on a graduate. He was the recipient of the Indianapolis Association of Wabash Men’s “Monon Bell” citation in 1994.
“Max Servies has set a standard of excellence at Wabash College serving as athletic director for 33 years and head wrestling coach for 40 years that will never be matched,” said athletic director Vernon Mummert. “As a result, Wabash College has one of the leading NCAA Division III men’s’ athletic programs in the country. Servies has set a high standard of athletic excellence for Wabash College that should be recognized by all.”
Servies’ association with the College began in 1954 when he was a freshman wrestler and football player for the Little Giants. Graduating in 1958, the biology major went on to earn a Master’s degree from Purdue University as well as teaching and coaching at Crawfordsville High School before returning to Wabash in 1960 as head wrestling coach and assistant football coach. He was named Athletic Director in 1965, serving in that post until July 1998.
“I remember fondly the past 40 years beginning with two lane highways and travel by cars, then station wagons, and finally vans,” said Servies. “I’ve traveled over 110,000 miles - over four times around the world. I’ve enjoyed it, but it’s time for someone else to travel those miles.”
Servies and his wife, Nancy, are the parents of six children and 18 grandchildren.
Wabash College Wrestling Record Under Max Servies
Year Record
1960-61 4-7-0
1961-62 6-6-0
1962-63 9-1-1
1963-64 8-2-0
1964-65 9-3-0
1965-66 9-4-0
1966-67 8-6-0
1967-68 11-2-0
1968-69 8-5-0
1969-70 7-6-1
1970-71 9-1-1
1971-72 10-1-0
1972-73 10-2-0
1973-74 12-3-0
1974-75 7-5-0
1975-76 12-4-0
1976-77 11-6-0
1977-78 17-3-1
1978-79 6-1-0
1979-80 14-3-0
1980-81 23-0-0
1981-82 17-1-0
1982-83 20-1-0
1983-84 15-1-0
1984-85 12-1-0
1985-86 12-1-0
1986-87 18-0-0
1987-88 20-1-1
1988-89 21-3-0
1989-90 21-2-0
1990-91 18-1-1
1991-92 14-5-0
1992-93 15-5-0
1993-94 10-2-0
1994-95 9-3-1
1995-96 7-3-0
1996-97 10-5-0
1997-98 12-5-1
1998-99 15-5-0
1999-2000 11-2-0
TOTAL 487-118-8