The Wabash College wrestling team, perennially ranked among the top programs in NCAA Division III, will have a new leader going into the 2023-24 season. Director of Athletics Matt Tanney announced that Jake Fredricksen has been named Interim Head Coach of the wrestling team, which has placed in the top four at nationals four times since 2015.

Fredricksen replaces long-time Coach Brian Anderson, who led Wabash to second place at the national championships in 2022 and earned National Coach of the Year honors along the way.

"Coach Fredricksen is well positioned to continue the success of the wrestling program as interim head coach," Tanney said. "In the role of associate head coach, Jake demonstrated a strong recruiting acumen and firm understanding of day-to-day team operations, which should enable a smooth transition in advance of the upcoming season."

Fredricksen joined the coaching staff in 2018 and was named associate head coach in 2022. During his tenure, he has coached 14 All-Americans and two national champions, while helping guide the 2022 Little Giants to second place at the NCAAs behind five All-American performances.

"Wabash College is a very special place that produces extraordinary young men," Coach Fredricksen said. "The tradition runs deep throughout this institution and wrestling program. I feel honored and privileged to have been given the opportunity to be the next head wrestling coach."



 

Prior to arriving at Wabash, Fredricksen was an assistant at the U-Indy, where he worked with four Division II national qualifiers and an All-American. He previously served as an assistant at North Central College from 2014-2017. He earned his bachelor's degree from Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he was a three-time team captain, three-time national qualifier, and team MVP. He earned his master's degree from North Central.

Brian Anderson leaves Wabash as the most successful all-around coach in Wabash history. Beginning in 2004, he built the Little Giant wrestling team into a nationally ranked program. He led Wabash to five top-five finishes at the national championships, including second in 2022, third in 2015 and 2017, fourth in 2016, and fifth in 2018. He coached eight national champions, including four-time champ Riley Lefever '17, and 27 All-Americans. He also coached 2023 graduate Jack Heldt, who won the Division III heavyweight championship, the Elite 90 Award, and was named the outstanding scholar-athlete in the graduating class. Coach Anderson's teams were named Scholar All-American teams 11 times.

"Coach Anderson built Little Giant Wrestling into a consistent championship contender over nearly two decades," Tanney said. "He left his imprint on the program, not only through our scholar-athletes' many achievements on and off the mat, but also spurred the development of the Shelbourne Wrestling Center, one of the premier wrestling facilities in all of NCAA Division III. We wish Brian well on the next phase of his career."

Coach Anderson leaves Wabash to become the Executive Director of the Indiana Regional Training Center in Bloomington, Indiana, which provides opportunities for athletes of all age levels in training, education, and competition to promote the Olympic dream.