University of Northern Iowa Wrestling

Doug Schwab is the Panthers’ ninth head coach in the program’s illustrious history, completing his 16th season at UNI in 2025-26 season. Fourteen UNI student-athletes have earned 22 All-America honors under his leadership, including 184-pounder Parker Keckeisen, a five-time all-American. Keckeisen, who earned the highest All-America honors by a redshirt freshman since the 1950s with a third-place finish in 2021 and 2022, a national runner-up finish in 2023 and 2025, and an NCAA title in 2024. Schwab has coached 11 teams to a top-20 NCAA championship finish, including a ninth place finish in 2025, the program's highest Division I finish since 1962. From 2016 to 2025, the Panthers posted a ten-tournament streak of having at least one All-American selection. 2025-26: Northern Iowa notched an 11-8 dual record and 4-4 mark against Big 12 challengers in a battle tested season. The Panthers participated in the inaugural National Duals Invitational in Tulsa and racked up five dual victories over top-25 ranked opponents, including two dual wins over South Dakota State. Caleb Rathjen reached the Big 12 finals at 149 pounds while Julian Farber (133 pounds) placed third, Ryder Downey (165 pounds) fourth and Nick Fox (184 pounds) ninth in a tenth-place team finish. UNI saw five athletes qualify for the NCAA Championships in Cleveland, with one alternate the 11th consecutive season the Panthers have qualified at least five competitors. The Panthers tied for 31st place in the team standings

NCAA and two-time Big 12 champion Drew Foster finished his third season as a full-time assistant coach with UNI wrestling in 2025-26. A two-time All-American...

Former All-American Ian Parker joined the UNI wrestling coaching staff during the summer of 2025. A St. Johns, Michigan native, Parker joined the UNI staff after spending the two seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia, where he helped coach seven NCAA qualifiers, including a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champions in Nick Hamilton (165 pounds) and Dylan Cedeno (141 pounds). He also spent the 2022-23 season coaching at Army, working with the Black Knights' seven NCAA qualifiers. Parker spent his six-year collegiate career at Iowa State competing at 141 pounds, compiling a 112-39 career record with the Cyclones. The 2020 Big 12 Conference champion and a four-time NCAA qualifier, he earned All-American status during his redshirt junior season and was also a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American in 2020 and an Academic All-Big 12 Team selection in 2022. Parker graduated from Iowa State with a bachelor's degree in communication studies and continues to compete, being named to the U.S. Senior National Team during the summer of 2025 at 70 kilograms in freestyle action. Parker resides in Cedar Falls with his wife, Claire and their son, Theo.

Randy Pugh completed his 23rd season in 2025-26 as a UNI assistant and has helped develop All-Americans Jarion Beets (174), Eric Hauan (174), Kyle Hansen (184), Jason Payne (197), Sean Stender (197), Paul Hynek (285), Ryan Loder (184), as well as NCAA champions and Big 12 Wrestlers of the Year Drew Foster and Parker Keckeisen (184). Pugh trained for international competition following his All-America career at UNI. The Columbus Junction, Iowa, native finished fourth at the USA World Trials in June 2002 and competed in the trials again in 2003. In 2002, he won the Sunkist International Open and garnered a third-place finish at the U.S. Open. In 2003, Pugh placed eighth at the U.S. Open. He also placed third at the Dave Schultz Open in 2003. As an athlete at UNI, Pugh finished fourth at the 2000 NCAA Championships at 174 pounds, capping a senior season with a 26-4 record. He was ranked as high as third nationally after upending top-rated Otto Olson at the Virginia Duals. Pugh was a state high school champion his senior year before enrolling at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he compiled a 16-8 record his first year. He transferred to UNI in 1998 and ended with a 70-17 career record. For Pugh, the biggest change from competing on the mat to coaching his former teammates is motivating others. “When I was on the mat, I was doing what it took to make myself a better athlete,” Pugh said. “But as a coach, I am more concerned with what others are doing and helping them improve.” Pugh’s