Kevin Dresser
{{Short description|American wrestler and coach (born 1962)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Kevin Dresser
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title = Head coach
| current_team = Iowa State
| current_conference = Big 12
| current_record = 48–23
| contract = $300,000
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|11|9|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Fort Dodge, Iowa, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater = Iowa
| player_years1 = 1981–1986
| player_team1 = Iowa
| coach_years1 = 1986–1988
| coach_team1 = Iowa (asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1988–1996
| coach_team2 = Grundy HS
| coach_years3 = 1996–2006
| coach_team3 = Christiansburg HS
| coach_years4 = 2006–2017
| coach_team4 = Virginia Tech
| coach_years5 = 2017–present
| coach_team5 = Iowa State
| overall_record = 208–74
| tournament_record =
| championships = 2012–13 ACC Tournament
2013–14 ACC Tournament
2014–15 ACC Dual Championship
2015–16 ACC Dual Championship
2016–17 ACC Dual Championship
| coaching_records =
}}
{{MedalTableTop|name=|image=|imagesize=|alt=|caption=}}
{{MedalSport | Collegiate Wrestling}}
{{MedalCountry | }} the Iowa Hawkeyes
{{MedalCompetition|NCAA Division I Championships}}
{{MedalGold|1986 Iowa City| 142 lb}}
{{MedalCompetition|Big Ten Championships}}
{{MedalGold|1985 Evanston|142 lb}}
{{MedalGold|1986 Minneapolis|142 lb}}
{{MedalBottom}}
Kevin Dresser (November 9, 1962) is a collegiate wrestling coach, currently at Iowa State University and formerly at Virginia Tech (2006–2017). Dresser had also been a coach at Christiansburg HS, Grundy HS, and an assistant at the University of Iowa, after having wrestled for the Hawkeyes.
Early life
Born in Fort Dodge and a native of Humboldt, Iowa, Dresser was a two-time high school wrestling state champion and four time place winner fifth (freshman) and sixth (sophomore) at Humboldt High School. Kevin had a high school record of 112-11-1, he holds his school's records for number of takedowns and pins.{{cite web|url=http://humboldtnews.com/articles/2016/08/09/kevin-dresser-brings-strong-message-hometown|title=Kevin Dresser brings strong message to hometown - The Humboldt Independent|date=August 9, 2016 |publisher=}} Kevin matriculated to the University of Iowa where he was an NCAA National Champion at 142 pounds in 1986. He was also a two-time NCAA All-American and two-time Big Ten Conference Champion. Kevin had an NCAA record of 34-2-1 with 16 falls. His coach at Iowa was wrestling legend Dan Gable. In 1986, he was given the Mike Howard Award as the most valuable wrestler for the Hawkeyes that season.{{cite web|url=http://www.hawkeyesports.com/documents/2016/6/16/prospectus.pdf|title=Official Athletics Website of the Iowa Hawkeyes|publisher=}}
Early coaching career
He coached under Dan Gable at Iowa for several years after graduation. He then accepted a position as head wrestling coach at Grundy High School in Grundy, Virginia. Dresser led the Virginia powerhouse to eight Virginia state titles in eight years.{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/02/23/grundys-diamonds-in-the-rough/3c3ac842-0941-4bf5-be90-b40bfe9544e1/|title=Grundy's Diamonds in the Rough|first1=William|last1=Gildea|date=23 February 2003|publisher=|via=washingtonpost.com}}
Dresser then moved to Christiansburg, Virginia to take over the wrestling program at Christiansburg High School. He successfully built the team from scratch and led them to five consecutive Virginia team state championships. During his tenure, Christiansburg High School was ranked as high as fourth in the nation.{{cite web|url=https://www.thepredicament.com/2015/10/kevin-dresser-has-paid-his-dues/|title=Kevin Dresser has paid his dues. - The Predicament|date=29 October 2015|publisher=|access-date=February 21, 2017|archive-date=September 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170928103421/https://www.thepredicament.com/2015/10/kevin-dresser-has-paid-his-dues/|url-status=dead}}
Collegiate coaching career
=Virginia Tech=
Kevin Dresser took over as head coach for the Virginia Tech Hokies wrestling team in 2006, upon the departure of Tom Brands.{{cite web|url=http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article133902764.html|title=Iowa State hires Virginia Tech's Dresser as wrestling coach|publisher=}}
Dresser went 160-51 in 11 seasons. The team earned two ACC Tournament Championships (2012–13 and 2013–14) and three ACC Dual Championships (2014–15, 2015–16, and 2016–17), during his tenure.{{cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/staff/dresser_kevin.html|title=hokiesports.com :: Wrestling :: Kevin Dresser|publisher=}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.hokiesports.com/wrestling/extras/WRrecords.pdf|title=Virginia Tech Wrestling - HISTORY & RECORDS|date=2017|website=www.hokiesports.com|access-date=March 9, 2017}}
Kevin was named the 2016 NWCA Coach of the Year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nwcaonline.com/awards/service-collegiate-awards/?pg=2&sc_school=Virginia+Tech&sc_name_of_award=0&sc_year=0|title=NWCA - Service & Collegiate Awards|date=2017|website=www.nwcaonline.com|access-date=March 9, 2017}}
=Iowa State=
Nearing the end of the 2016-17 season, Kevin Dresser accepted an offer to be the new head coach of wrestling at Iowa State University.Bringing with him his wife Penny, oldest daughter Emma, middle daughter Anna, and youngest son, Jack. Dresser coached the Cyclones to the 2024 Big XII team wrestling championship. He was also named the Big XII coach of the year in 2019 and 2024.{{cite web|url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/wrestling/2017/02/20/dresser-take-over-iowa-state-wrestling-program/98134846/|title=Iowa State lands proven program-builder Kevin Dresser for wrestling post|website=The Des Moines Register |publisher=}} He signed a 7-year, $2.25 million contract.{{cite web|url=http://www.roanoke.com/sports/colleges/va_tech/iowa-state-lures-kevin-dresser-from-virginia-tech/article_bbb09d1c-1d4d-5308-aeb1-af6425a3adf3.html|title=Iowa State lures Kevin Dresser from Virginia Tech|publisher=}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{IowaStateWrestlingCoach}}
{{Iowa State University}}
{{Big 12 Conference navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dresser, Kevin}}
Category:Iowa Hawkeyes wrestlers
Category:Iowa State Cyclones wrestling coaches
Category:People from Humboldt, Iowa
Category:American male sport wrestlers
Category:Sportspeople from Fort Dodge, Iowa