Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association

Meet the 2025 KWCA Hall of Fame class1:00 - Billy Johnson. Intro by Shane Miller25:30 - Bill Ross. Intro by Kelly Heinecker56:45 - Jacob Klein. Intro by Bubba Wright

Meet Hartwell Taylor, 2025 College Senior Wrestler of the Year for NAIA. Taylor made history in 2024 by wining the NAIA national title, becoming the first from the University of Saint Mary. He went on to earn his second All-American honor last spring with a fourth-place finish at nationals. Also hear from Taylor's coach at St. Mary, Chuck Kearney.

After a long career as a teacher and coach, Brian Malm moved on to administration. He continues to use his coaching skills in his new role and has been named KWCA 321A Administrator of the Year for 2025.

Sara Lake of Piper High School was among the first state champions in Kansas history after KSHSAA sanctioned girls wrestling. She went on to become a three-time All-American at Lindenwood University. Hear from Sara and her college coach Frank Yattoni

From success as an athlete at the high school and college levels to running one of the most successful clubs in the state, Ross Taplin's efforts have paid off. 

Paul Lappin completed his first year as head coach at Garden City in 2025, but came in with a wealth of experience. He has the Buffalos on the track he helped build and maintain as long-time assistant on Carlos Prieto's staff.

Nathan Broeckelman is finishing out his term as KWCA president. The Barton County Community College head coach jumps on to fill us in on what to expect from this year's clinic.

Dylan Eck is one of the most visible and most respected officials on the circuit today. The KWCA has recognized his efforts with the 2025 Official of the Year award. 

Leiannah Landreth, winner of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award for Kansas, put together an outstanding high school career that included four top-three finishes at state including a state title as a senior. Additionally, the Mulvane High grad was a force on Team Kansas during high school. Hear from Leiannah and her high school coach Jesse Myers.

Jacob Klein won three state titles while representing Kapaun Mt. Carmel before earning two All-American honors at the University of Nebraska. Hear from Jacob, his high school coach Tim Dryden, and his college coach, Mark Manning.

From its humble beginnings, Neil Erisman has developed the University of Arkansas at Little Rock program into a winner. The Kansas native will be back on his home soil to serve as the headliner for the 2025 KWCA Fritz Knorr Fall Clinic.

Bill Ross helped Derby to state titles in 2019 and 2023. His twenty-eight year career also included time as head coach at Sebetha. Hall of Famers Wayne Jackson, Gary 'Pudge' Wilson, and Gary Harding were part of his development as a wrestler and coach.

Jason Puderbaugh has the Basehor-Linwood program headed in the right direction. The Bobcats are coming off a third-place finish at state and have all of their state points returning. The school also has a top-notch girl's team and has a club program that is the largest in the state.

Newton's Wyatt Hendrickson shocked the wrestling world when he defeated Olympic Champion, Gable Steveson at the 2025 NCAA championships. Hear from Wyatt and a few of his coaches that had a hand in his development. Tyler Caldwell - Start 0:00Tommy Edgmon - Start 6:28Matt Treaster - Start 10:25Wyatt Hendrickson - Start 16:27

Hall of Fame inductee, Bill Johnson, accumulated eleven state championships while coaching at Norton. Prior to his coaching career, he was a four-time All-American and 1987 NAIA national champion for Ft. Hays State.

Wilson was named 4A boys senior Wrestler of the Year as well as the Dave Schultz award winner for Kansas. The three-time state champion is currently enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

We've come to the end of another successful KWCA Fritz Knorr Fall Clinic weekend capped off with the Hall of Fame banquet. What follows is the hall of fame speeches emceed by Doug Broadfoot of Hesston High School. Honored first is Mike Church (1:00), followed by Dusty Rhodes (4:15), John Flores (21:00), and Buel Patterson (30:40). As always, thanks for your support and thanks for listening.

Meet Nicole Redmond, 2024 KWCA 6A-5A Senior Wrestler of the Year

NAIA Senior Wrestlers of the Year, Isaiah Luellan (Rossville) and Owen Braungardt (Winfield) were par of the Grandview University program that won it's twelfth national title last spring. The pair jump on to talk about their experiences. Former Rossville head coach Curt Brechiesen and former Winfield head coach and current Ark City head coach Nick McGrew along with Grandview head coach, Nick Mitchell also joint the podcast.

Longtime official at both the high school and college level, Travis Scheele, has worked numerous high school and college national tournaments. He is one of the most respected officials in the state and is being recognized by the KWCA as its 2024 Official of the Year.

The KWCA is excited to have USA Wrestling Head Women's coach, Terry Steiner, at this year's clinic to serve as the clinic's headliner. Steiner is fresh off a record-setting performance at the Paris Olympics where Team USA brought home two golds, a silver and a bronze.

Buel "Pat" Patterson will be posthumously inducted into the KWCA Hall of Fame this year. National champion at Oklahoma A&M, head coach at three NCAA DI schools over a forty-one year span, and among his contributions to Kansas wrestling was establishing the Kansas high school State tournament in 1930.

Jay Johnston has built a girl's wrestling program that is contender year in and year out at Basehor-Linwood High School. He is a tireless promoter and is a model of professionalism. He was named KWCA 5A-6A Coach of the Year for 2024.

KWCA President Nathan Broeckelman of Barton Community College fills us in on fall clinic happenings.

Clay Center's Hunter Mullin was named 2023 NCAA DII Senior Wrestler of the Year after his outstanding career at Western Colorado University. Coach Mullin recently completed his first year of coaching and teaching at Cabot High School in Arkansas. The Panthers won the 2024 boys 6A State Championship.

Hear from 321A Senior Wrestler of the Year, Derek Johnson. Also joining in is Hoxie High School Head Coach Mike Porsch and Saint Cloud State University skipper, Steve Costanzo

Tanner Hitchcock was a four-time State medalist and two-time Champion for Pittsburg and Bonner Springs, then went on to compete at Lindenwood University where he became a NCAA DII All-American. He was named 2023 KWCA NCAA DII Senior Wrestler of the Year. Hear from Tanner and his high school and college coaches.

Tyler Caldwell :10, Andy Niemczyk 4:50, Travis Keal 22:10, Doug Vander Linden 34:45

Dodge City's Luke Barker completed his career at Dodge City High School with three State titles and four appearances in the finals. He is currently a freshman at North Dakota State University

Brandon Terry of Augusta coached his second trophy team in a row when his charges finished in third-place in the 2023 4A State tourney.

Carlos Prieto has a good thing going in Garden City. In 2023 both boys and girls teams fiished as State Runner-up

Hear from 2023 4A Wrestler of the Year, Marcus Terry. The Augusta grad is now a freshman at Northeast Oklahoma A & M

Doug Vander Linden worked tirelessly to build his program at Burlington High School and worked just as hard for the betterment of wrestling in the entire state of Kansas. Doug lost his battle with cancer and related complications last year. His son Michael comes on to reflect on his father's legacy.

Tyler Caldwell is in the conversation of one of the best ever from the Sunflower State. The four-time State Champion and four-time DI All-American was also a University World Champion. He is now assistant at one of the blue bloods of college wrestling, Oklahoma State University. Also hear from his high school coach Brett Means of Goddard.

Under the direction of Travis Keal, the Mill Valley program was started from scratch and became a perennial state contender. In 2020 the program brought home the 6A State Championship after several top ten finishes. For his efforts, Keal has been named a 2023 KWCA Hall of Fame inductee. Also hear from legendary coach Jody Thompson, who was Keal's college coach at Labette Community College

Cade Hewitt, State Runner-up and 2009 graduate of Beloit High School, is the new head coach at his alma mater. Listen to this bonus episode following that of his coach, 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Andy Niemczyk

Andy Niemczyk has an interesting story to tell after a Hall of Fame career at Beloit High School. 

The Hoxie Indians put together a 2022-23 season! The 260 team points at State is an All-Class/All-Time record. Coach Porsch has had a lifetime of association with the program and has seen the fruits of his labor paying off in recent years. The team will be attempting to win their fourth championship in a row in 2024.

After winning his fourth State Championship, Nick Treaster swept the major post-season awards.... 5A Wrestler of the Year, Dave Schultz award for Kansas, and the Lyle Neville award. Treaster became one of forty four-time State Champions in Kansas and one of only five families in the nation that have had a father/son four-time combination.

KWCA President Nate Naasz comes on to promote the upcoming Fritz Knorr Fall Clinic.

Hear from the 2022 KWCA Hall of Fame class; Mike Garcia (start 2:20), Kendric Maple (start 8:50), and Tim Serbousek (start 11:40)

Mike Garcia was a State Champion, NCAA D2 Champion, and Coached State Champion teams in Oklahoma and Kansas. He is a 2022 KWCA Hall of Fame inductee. Listen in as he recaps his competitive and coaching career. 

Current Mizzou Associate Head Coach Kendric Maple joins the program. The two-time State Champion at Wichita Heights and NCAA Champion at the University of Oklahoma  went on to compete at the international level and came out of retirement last spring to capture the US Open title. He is a 2022 KWCA Hall of Fame inductee.

Tim Serbousek s grew up in Iowa, made his way to the Kansas City area, and carved out a thirty-six year career of it in the Blue Valley district. He will be inducted into the KWCA Hall of Fame during the banquet on October 8th in Salina.

Meet Tate Thompson, 2022 KWCA Coach of the Year for Girls 4A-321A. He was also named NWCA National Coach of the Year for Girls Wrestling.