Koch trades one alma mater for another

Kevin Koch named Wrestling head coach

Kevin Koch has been named head coach at Concordia University Wisconsin. A 2006 graduate of the school, Koch is 2nd in all time wins at Concordia and was a 2006 NCAA qualifier. He has spent the past ten years coaching at his high school alma mater, Edgar High School. Over the past decade, he has coached 7 Wisconsin state champs and won nine conference team titles. He replaces Corey VanGroll who left earlier this summer to become head coach at UW-Parkside.

Kevin Koch named Wrestling head coach

Sep 21, 2017
MEQUON, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin Director of Athletics Dr. Rob Barnhill has announced the hiring of Kevin Koch, as head coach for the Wrestling program.

“I am very excited to announce the hiring of Kevin Koch as our new wrestling coach and welcome he and his wife home,” Barnhill stated. “Kevin was an accomplished student-athlete at CUW and has had an impressive professional career as the head wrestling coach at Edgar High School. He has boundless enthusiasm and love for the wrestling program here and the university and its mission. The future of CUW wrestling is going to be very bright with this new appointment. Kevin and I agree on the philosophical principles of building our team and his intended direction and leadership were evident during the interview process.”

Koch, one the greatest wrestlers in program history, returns to his alma mater a decade after ending his career as a National Qualifier. The Edgar, Wis., native completed his career with 119 career victories, which ranks second all-time. Koch won over 30 matches in a season twice, including an outstanding 36-10 record during his senior campaign that culminated in a trip to the NCAA Division III Championship. He was also named the CUW Male Athlete of the Year and to the NWCA Scholar All-America Team.

“I am blessed to be given this opportunity to coach at my alma mater,” Koch expressed. “CUW has been a special place for me and I look forward to being able to foster that experience for other wrestlers coming through our program.”

A highly successful high school coach at Edgar High School for the past 10 years, also his alma mater, he coached a program that was a perennial WIAA state contender. He coached seven individual WIAA state champions, 10 individual WIAA state placers, and 33 individual WIAA state qualifiers. Koch also guided the Wildcats to nine-consecutive Marawood Conference titles, to go along with a 120-38 dual meet record.

During his time as a Falcon; he posted a 33-11 record during his rookie season, 22-9 mark as a sophomore, 28-13 as a junior and had his most successful season as a senior with a 36-10 record. His overall four-year record was 119-43 while wrestling at 141 pounds. The three-time MVP and team captain was inducted into the school’s William C. Ackman Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. He earned 14 top-5 finishes, won titles at the Wisconsin Private College Tournament and Lake Michigan Conference Tournament twice, while also placing third at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region twice.

While in high school, Koch won two WIAA state individual championship at Edgar (1998, 2000). He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 2006 and his Master’s Degree in Education in 2012, both from CUW.

He is married to Kaitlin and the two have a daughter, Grace.