Hall of Fame
A 2018 inductee into the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, David H. "Dave" Lehman '68 competed under legendary wrestling coach W. Roy Phillips '34 and has certainly done his part in elevating the Diplomats' wrestling program both as a student-athlete and staunch supporter of the program.
Lehman came to Franklin & Marshall from nearby Solanco High School and represented the Diplomats at the 1967 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships. With the Diplomats being the only primarily Division III institution that competes in Division I wrestling, Lehman and his teammates battled some of the top wrestlers in the country from Ivy and Patriot League Institutions. After posting a winning record in the regular season, Lehman was just bested by the No. 8 seed from Navy during his EIWA Tournament but his contributions helped the Diplomats place eighth as a team – marking F&M's highest finish at conference championships in over eight seasons. Following that junior season, Lehman was presented with Franklin & Marshall's Alumni Junior Medal which is given to the outstanding scholar-athlete in the junior class.
The Diplomats continued to make their mark on Division I wrestling the following season, capping a sixth-place EIWA team finish under then first-year head coach Ron Gray. However, those who followed the wrestling team knew that Lehman's class had plenty of talented wrestlers up and down the lineup as his teammates led the freshman team to an undefeated 1964-65 season. When Lehman was a member of the varsity lineup during the 1966-67 season, F&M had its most successful dual season during Phillips' 18 seasons as head coach. The Diplomats went 9-1-1 overall, including an undefeated record against Ivy League foes Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, Penn.
Lehman certainly showed great athletic prowess on the mats, but he was equally important to the football team's success as a starter on that squad during the fall. As freshman were not allowed to compete under NCAA rules until shortly after Lehman's graduation, he supported an undefeated varsity team during his first fall at the College in 1964 before helping the Diplomats to 11 wins and two ties over the next three seasons against a schedule composed almost exclusively of Middle Atlantic Conference institutions. Even with a heavy athletic workload, Lehman was truly able to gain the entire F&M experience as he graduated from the Geological Sciences program with numerous academic accomplishments in addition to his athletic resume.
After graduating from Franklin & Marshall, Lehman served as a United States Army Artillery Officer in the Central Highlands of Vietnam from 1969 through 1970 before continuing his education by earning his PhD from The University of Texas at Austin. He obtained his doctorate in 1974 and promptly began a highly-successful executive career with ExxonMobil. From 1974 through 2002, he served as manager of worldwide new venture development, exploration advisor, exploration coordinator, and exploration manager. Since his time at ExxonMobil, Lehman continues to stay active in his field with the founding and building of three oil and gas companies. The first two were sold at substantial profit to investors, while the third is still active in oil and gas development.
Even with a highly successful professional career, Lehman has not forgotten his roots and gives back consistently to Franklin & Marshall. From an athletic perspective, no gift was more notable than Lehman's $5 million endowment of Franklin & Marshall's Division I wrestling program in the fall of 2014. That generosity continues to benefit future generations of Diplomat wrestlers. For his contributions, the annual Franklin & Marshall Open – which just celebrated its 10th anniversary during the 2022-23 season and annually attracts some of the top Division I wrestlers in the country – was renamed in his honor. Outside of athletics, Lehman advanced the College's impact on all students by serving on the Board of Trustees from 2013 through the recent conclusion of his term in 2023.
Â
