Dennis Fitzgerald

Joseph Dennis Fitzgerald (March 13, 1936 – January 14, 2001) was an American freestyle wrestler and football player and coach. He played college football as a halfback at the University of Michigan and was named the most valuable player on the 1960 Michigan Wolverines football team. Fitzgerald holds the University of Michigan record for the longest kickoff return at 99 yards. In wrestling, he won Big Ten Conference championships in 1960 and 1961 and a gold medal representing the United States at the 1963 Pan American Games. Fitzgerald had a coaching career spanning over 35 years, with assistant coaching positions at various universities including Michigan, Kentucky, Syracuse, Tulane, and Grand Valley State. He also served as the head football coach at Kent State University from 1975 to 1977.