Del Hughes graduated from Upper Iowa University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969. During his time at Upper Iowa, Del was active in wrestling, football, and student government. His accomplishments included placing fifth in the NAIA National Wrestling Tournament and being named an All-American wrestler in 1968 and 1969. Del was inducted into Upper Iowa's Hall of Fame in 1985. Del went on to teach physical education at Oelwein from 1969 to 1973. He also coached wrestling and football. For the following 26 years, Del was an accounting and physical education teacher at Sioux City East. While there, he was also assistant football coach of the 1984 Class 4A state champions. He coached several state wrestling qualifiers and three state champions. Hughes was inducted into the Iowa High School Wrestling Hall of Fame and into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999. He retired from teaching in 1998 and formed a partnership with two former wrestlers called Coral Street Builder, Inc.