(Seward, NE) – Concordia University has named former Iowa Western Wrestling Director, Josh Watts, as the new Head Coach of the Bulldog Wrestling program.
Since establishing the Iowa Western Wrestling program in 2011, Coach Watts has transformed it into a national contender. In 2021, he was promoted to Director of Wrestling, where he oversaw the addition of the women’s wrestling program to the athletic department. During his 13 years at Iowa Western, Coach Watts has achieved remarkable success: eight NJCAA men’s national champions, two women’s NJCAA Invitational national champions, one JCNC national champion, 123 national qualifiers, and 69 men’s and women’s All-Americans.
“I want to thank Brenda Hampton for trusting me to build the wrestling program at Iowa Western back in 2011,” said Watts. “We have created a special program over the past 13 years, and I look forward to seeing how the new leadership will take it to new heights.”
Watts was the 2020 NJCAA Coach of the Year and the 2022 NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Man of the Year. He was inducted into the IAHSAA Wrestling Hall of Fame for his outstanding career at Davenport Assumption High School. In 2001, Watts graduated as one of Iowa’s most accomplished high school wrestlers, with a career record of 190-4, the most wins in the state’s history, and 114 career pins, ranking sixth all-time in Iowa.
