NWCA Announces NJCAA National Coach of the Year Winners

Council Bluffs, IA – On the eve of the NJCAA Championships, the National Wrestling Coaches Association honored two outstanding wrestling coaches with the NJCAA Scholarship & Non-Scholarship Men’s National Coach of the Year Awards as selected by their peers. This award is presented to coaches that have demonstrated outstanding effort throughout the regular season in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community. The awards are presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA.

“In continuing our mission, Defense Soap is proud to partner with the NWCA, to keep wrestlers on the mat with our products and education in hygiene.” Guy Sako, Founder and CEO of Defense Soap.

Recipient of the 2020 NJCAA Non-Scholarship National Coach of the Year Award is Randy Rager of Rochester Community and Technical College. Coach Rager led his team to a runner-up finish at the NWCA Multi-Division National Duals and sported a team GPA of 3.25 while having seven wrestlers take home individual district championships. Randy will coach nine national qualifiers at the NJCAA National Championships.

Winning the 2020 NJCAA Scholarship National Coach of the Year award is Josh Watts of Iowa Western Community College. Coach Watts and the Rievers, won the school’s first Central District Championship and Watts was named the Central District Coach of the Year. He will coach ten national qualifiers at the NJCAA National Championships.

“The NWCA is proud to partner with Defense Soap in honoring these two outstanding coaches who work tirelessly to grow the sport,” said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. Coach Rager and Coach Watts are great examples of individuals who are committed to their athletes and their programs.”

2020 NJCAA Non-Scholarship Finalists

• Keith Maute, Niagara County Community College
• Vougar Oroujov, Nassau Community College
• Kris Schimek, Jamestown Community College
• Dan Loprieno, Harper College
• Randy Rager, Rochester Community & Technical College

2020 NJCAA Scholarship Finalists

• Art Castillo, Western Wyoming Community College
• Michael Sebaaly, North Idaho College
• Steve Kelly, North Iowa Area Community College
• Josh Watts, Iowa Western Community College
• Josh Rhoden, Clackamas Community College

ABOUT THE NWCA
The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, Student-Athlete Welfare, and the Promotion of Wrestling.