Moving quickly, Buena Vista elevated assistant coach Sevond Cole to the head position for next season following Mark Schwab’s announcement of his resignation. See release below.

Cole Promoted to Head Coach of BVU Wrestling Team

Storm Lake, Iowa – Buena Vista Director of Athletics, Jan Travis, has announced that current assistant wrestling coach, Sevond Cole, will be promoted to head coach following the conclusion of this season. Cole will replace Mark Schwab who announced his resignation on Tuesday, effective May 31, 2008.

“I feel Sevond is an excellent choice,” Travis said. “He’s served as an assistant with the program under two great mentors (Mark Schwab and Al Baxter), and I have the confidence that he can take over the program and carry on the strong BVU wrestling tradition.”

Cole returned this season for his second stint with the Beaver wrestling program after having served as an assistant under Baxter from 2001-06. He spent last season as a volunteer wrestling coach, as well as a middle school science instructor, in the Griswold School District.

“Having been part of the wrestling program for more than a decade, you can imagine how excited I am to have the opportunity to continue the strong wrestling tradition that we have here at Buena Vista,” Cole stated. “I feel blessed to have worked with two amazing coaches in my years as an assistant coach – most recently Mark Schwab and Al Baxter before that. I have learned a lot from both coaches and will continue to hold the bar high for BVU wrestling.”

Prior to joining the BVU staff in 2001, Cole was a two-time All-American for Baxter and the Beavers (1999 and 2000) at 174 pounds. He also captured a conference championship in 1999, while also being tabbed a Scholar All-American in 2000.

“I personally believe Sevond will do a great job” Schwab noted. A few reasons that come to mind are that he truly cares about BVU, he was a 2-time All-American here, and a graduate always personalizes the roots that run deep in your efforts to bring out the best in the athletes and a program. He is not looking for something else. This is what he wants – a “dream job” so to speak. I also think that what he learned from Coach Baxter, and hopefully myself, has prepared him to run a top flight program.”

“Needless to say, we are thrilled that Coach Cole has agreed to become our new head coach,” said BVU President Fred Moore. “He was an outstanding student-athlete in every sense of the word and has contributed mightily as an assistant coach. He is the perfect person to lead our program into the future.”

Schwab to Step Down as Coach at Season’s End

Storm Lake, Iowa – After guiding the Buena Vista University wrestling program for the past three-plus seasons, Director of Athletics, Jan Travis, has announced that head coach Mark Schwab will step down as coach of the Beavers effective May 31, 2008.

“I would like to thank Coach Schwab for the efforts and leadership he’s shown and put forth while guiding the Beaver wrestling program over these last four years,” Travis said. “We hate to see him go, but want to wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.”

Schwab became just the second coach to lead the Beavers since the start of the 1978-79 season when he was hired in 2004 following the retirement of legendary coach, Al Baxter. To this point, the 2007 Iowa Conference Coach of the Year has seen his squads improve from a pair of seventh-place finishes to last season’s fourth-place finish at the Iowa Conference Championships. The same can also be said at the NCAA Tournament, where his squads placed 30th and 21st, respectively, in his first two seasons, to a seventh-place standing a year ago.

Schwab says he will step down with plenty of good memories from his time guiding the Beavers.

“There were sure a lot of good moments here,” Schwab said. “What I consider best moments are small things overall – like guys breaking thru, winning hard fought matches. I loved it when we could celebrate as a team.”

BVU’s seventh-place team finish at the 2007 National Tournament was the program’s highest since placing fifth back in 2002. BVU’s fourth-place finish during last year’s Iowa Conference Championships was its highest since taking fourth in 2001.

To this point, Schwab has coached one individual conference champion and five All-Americans during his tenure, while also having a pair of wrestlers earn Scholar All-American accolades and one earn Academic All-Conference honors.

“It was a very challenging experience, and there is an awful lot to being a head coach in any sport; much more than most would think,” Schwab added. “With the three recruiting classes we had in, it was interesting to see just how much an individual differs from the next but yet how predicable we can all be. This experience was a hands-on dealing with people in all their stages of highs and lows. It’s personal education for future endeavors.”

“We are very sad to see Coach Schwab step down,” said BVU President Fred Moore. “He has led our wrestling program with tremendous distinction and character. At the same time, I understand his desire to start a new chapter in his life and wish him well. BVU has a proud wrestling tradition, and we will move swiftly to name a new head coach to lead us into the future.”

A search for a replacement will begin immediately.

Buena Vista Sports Information (thanks to InterMat for the link)