Nebraska Wesleyan University has named Colton McCrystal as the new head wrestling coach, Director of Athletics Dwight Merilatt announced today.
"Coach McCrystal’s extensive wrestling experiences will shape the future of our wrestling program at Nebraska Wesleyan," Merilatt said. "His blend of competitive wrestling experience and coaching expertise will make an immediate difference by improving growth and excellence for our student-athletes."
McCrystal is a widely respected competitor and decorated athlete in the wrestling community. He served as a resident athlete with the Nebraska Wrestling Regional Training Center and competed as a training partner for Team USA during international competitions. He was a two-time NCAA Division I National Qualifier and served as team captain during the 2017-2018 season for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
"I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and would like to thank Director of Athletics Dwight Merilatt for his confidence in me," McCrystal said. "I will foster a program that prioritizes integrity, discipline, and hard work, helping our athletes grow both on and off the mat.”
McCrystal coached for Nebraska at the Big Ten Championships last March, where they qualified 9 wrestlers for nationals and the team placed 3rd overall. He served as an assistant coach at Morningside University where he helped the team win the 2021 GPAC Tournament championship and coached five wrestlers who qualified for the NAIA National Tournament in 2022. He began his career as a clinician with The Arena Academy where he coached athletes of varying ages in techniques, conditioning, and mental focus.
McCrystal earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in summer 2018 and has received numerous accolades, including a gold medal at the Pan American Championships in 2019 and a 7th place finish at the U23 World Championships in 2018.