Idaho’s 1940 boxing team entered the season with high hopes. After finishing second in the NCAA in 1938 and returning 1939 national champion Ted Kara, the Vandals aimed high and didn’t miss. Kara repeated in 1940 for his second of three career NCAA titles, Laune Erickson won a title at 165 lbs. and John Webster took home the 175-lb. crown to help Idaho beat out Wisconsin 17-12 and claim its first NCAA Boxing title. Frank and Ted Kara and Erickson also won Pacific Coast Conference titles to lead the Vandals to a PCC team title earlier that season.