The 2025 Offseason Coaching Carousel (7/21/2025)

While a large portion of the wrestling community was focused on Fargo, or perhaps the Hungarian Ranking Series Event, there was some movement on the DI coaching carousel. Illinois announced that they have hired former Nebraska All-American Eric Schultz. Schultz will take the place of two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez on the Illini staff. 

Since taking seventh at the 2022 NCAA Championships, Schultz has remained active on the freestyle scene and was fourth at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials. While at Nebraska, Schultz was a three-time Big Ten finalist and was seeded in the top-three at NCAA’s on three occasions (one being the canceled 2020 tournament). Before college, Schultz was a state champion for Tinley Park High School in Illinois. 

Another recent addition to the coaching ranks (again) is Gavin Hoffman to Lock Haven. Last year around this time, we wrote about Hoffman joining the Bald Eagle coaching staff. About half way through his first season, Hoffman decided to use his final year of eligibility and wrestled at heavyweight for LHU. He ended up winning a MAC title and finished a match away from All-American status. 

The last new hire to mention is Jay Nivison who was hired by Long Island. Nivison just wrapped up his collegiate career at Michigan State University. Before coming to Michigan State, Nivison was a teammate of Sharks head coach John Arceri at Buffalo. In 2022, Nivison qualified for the NCAA Tournament after taking true second at the MAC Championships. 

On a different note, late Thursday night, Oregon State announced that assistant coach Nate Engel had stepped down from his position on the Beaver coaching staff. Engel has been a key figure in helping Oregon State to sign ranked recruiting classes in three of the last four years. He also has plenty of experience coaching the international styles with the Beaver Dam RTC and USA Wrestling. We’ll be paying close attention to Engel’s next move. 

With Engel stepping down, there’s an attractive opportunity with Oregon State that has been added to our list of openings below. 
 

Coaching Changes

Army West Point: Troy Nickerson (Head Coach)

Binghamton: Brevin Cassella (Assistant Coach)

Brown: Tyler Grayson (Assistant Coach)

Illinois: Eric Schultz (Assistant Coach)

Kent State: Josh Moore (Head Coach)

Lehigh: Sammy Sasso (Assistant Coach)

Lock Haven: Gavin Hoffman (Assistant Coach)

Long Island: Jay Nivison (Assistant Coach)

Mercyhurst: Jimmy Overhiser (Head Coach)

Missouri: Keegan O’Toole (Assistant Coach)

NC State: Malik McDonald (Assistant Coach)

North Dakota State: Willie Miklus (Assistant Coach)

Northern Colorado: Teyon Ware (Head Coach)

Oklahoma State: Kevin Ward (Assistant Coach)

Penn: Matt Valenti (Head Coach)

Princeton: Ryan Wolfe (Assistant Coach)

Purdue: Matt Ramos (Assistant Coach)
 

RTC/Club

Lee Roper (Cowboy RTC)
 

Open

Appalachian State: Assistant Coach

Bellarmine: Assistant Coach

Binghamton: Head Coach

Campbell: Head Coach

Drexel: Assistant Coach

George Mason: Assistant Coach

Kent State: Assistant Coach

Little Rock: Assistant Coach

Maryland: Assistant Coach

Michigan State: Assistant Coach

Northern Iowa: Assistant Coach

Oklahoma: Assistant Coach

Oregon State: Assistant Coach

Penn: Assistant Coach