NWCA Announces Each of the Three NJCAA National Coach of the Year Winners.

Council Bluffs, IA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) awarded the National Coach of the Year Awards to the top coaches in each of the three NJCAA Divisions: Men’s Scholarship, Men’s Non-Scholarship, and Women’s, during the NJCAA Championship Finals on Saturday evening. These awards were presented by Defense Soap, a company that provides hygiene products and educational resources for wrestlers, and the founder and CEO of the company, Guy Sako, expressed his pride in partnering with the NWCA to support their mission of keeping wrestlers on the mat through good hygiene practices and education.

Camden County’s John Chillem was awarded the NJCAA Men’s Non-Scholarship Coach of the Year, while Tim Duggan of Triton College was presented with the NJCAA Men’s Scholarship Coach of the Year award. Additionally, Cole Spree from Indian Hills Community College was recognized as the inaugural NJCAA Women’s Coach of the Year.

NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer congratulated the award winners and praised their commitment to excellence, stating that it was an honor to recognize these outstanding coaches from the NJCAA. Furthermore, the NWCA also announced the finalists for the 2023 National Coach of the Year Awards in the Men’s Non-Scholarship Division, Men’s Scholarship Division, and Women’s Division.

2023 National Coach of the Finalists

Men’s Non-Scholarship Division
Andrew Hackenmueller, Rochester Cmmunity and Technical College
John Chillem, Camden County College
Vougar Oroudjov, Nassau Community College

Men’s Scholarship Division
Brett Schanez, Clackamas Community College
Art Castillo, Western Wyoming Community College
Josh Watts, Iowa Western Community College
Tim Duggan, Triton College
Ken Kepley, Pratt Community College

Women’s Division
Cole Spree, Indian Hills Community College
Matt Barrett, Umpqua Community College
Jake Lords, Carl Albert State

The NWCA is a non-profit organization that has been promoting the sport of wrestling since 1928, with a particular focus on coaching development and student-athlete welfare.