It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Fred Burri, Mt. SAC Hall of Fame Coach, on Monday, March 20, at his home. Burri made an enduring impact on Mt. SAC and the wrestling program during his 34-year career as head coach, from 1957 to the 1991-92 academic year. Before arriving at Mt. SAC, Burri coached football at Whittier College with NFL Hall of Fame Coach George Allen and wrestling at California High School.

Throughout his Mt. SAC career, Burri coached nine individual state champions, including Terry Martin and Larry Watanabe, both members of the Mt. SAC Athletic Hall of Fame. He also coached 15 All-Americans and more than 60 individual state championship placers. Because of his immense dedication to wrestling, he received a Lifetime Service Award from both the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the California Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Beyond Mt. SAC and wrestling, Burri is renowned for his yodeling. For 17 years, from the 1960s through the 1970s, he entertained the patrons of Disneyland's Matterhorn with his powerful voice and accordion playing Swiss Folk music and Yodeling Tunes. As a result, Burri released three albums (Fred Burri Disneyland Yodeler) and toured worldwide to perform his Swiss Alpine music. He even had a cameo appearance in the 1995 major motion picture "A Walk in the Clouds."

In his retirement, Burri and his wife Margie (Chitwood), the former Mt. SAC Dean of Business, remained avid supporters of the Mt. SAC Wrestling Program. 

Fred Burri will forever be remembered for his noble contributions to wrestling, his melodic yodeling, and, most of all, for his kind and generous heart. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will live on in the Mt. SAC Athletics Community.

A celebration of life is planned and will be announced at a later date.