GALESBURG, Illinois— Former Knox College wrestling and football coach Alfred M. Partin passed away on October 17, 2018 at the age of 96. He was born January 31, 1922, in Portsmouth, Virginia, to Charles and Nancy Partin. Al graduated from Proviso East High School in Maywood, in 1941.
 
After serving in the Navy, Partin had an outstanding wrestling career at Cornell College and a stint as head wrestling coach and assistant football coach at the University of Nebraska. Partin helped his Cornell squad to the NCAA and National AAU championships in 1946-47. He was also an All-American in 1949 and 1950 finishing third in the National AAU meet in 1949 and runner-up in 1950.
 
Coach Partin served as head coach for the Knox College wrestling team for 29 years starting in 1954. Upon taking over as wrestling coach, Partin led the team to a 7-0 mark in 1954-55 and 7-2 mark in 1955-56. Coach Partin coached eight Knox College wrestlers that qualified for the national tournament, three Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame wrestlers.
 
Coach Partin led the wrestling program to its first undefeated season in 1955 and in his second year as head football coach led the team to a share of the Midwest Conference championship.
 
Coach Partin was the head football coach for 10 years, placing him fourth all-time in numbers of seasons coached for Knox football.  Coach Partin is seventh all-time in number of wins for Knox football. Coach Partin coached six All-Midwest Conference selections on the 1956 football team, including All-American Mondo Lopez '58. "Football meant a lot to those kids," said Partin in the winter 1984 Knox Alumnus. "They fought hard and played hard. They came from different backgrounds. They were all individuals, but they could be themselves around me because I was something of a bohemian myself."