Indiana Tech launches wrestling program with new coach, Mike Ester

When you think of the state of Indiana, the one sport that immediately comes to mind is... no, not wrestling.

However, the ranks of college wrestling programs within the basketball-crazy Hoosier state just grew, as Indiana Tech announced it has started an intercollegiate mat program, and hired a head coach, Mike Ester.

Ester brings a wealth of wrestling and coaching experience to the Fort Wayne-based school, which is a member of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

As a wrestler at Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Ester was a two-time state qualifier, placing third as a senior. He then continued his mat career at Manchester College in nearby North Manchester, Indiana, where he was a four-year letterwinner, a two-year captain, three-time conference champ, and NCAA Division III qualifier.

After graduation, Ester returned to his high school alma mater, where he led the Snider Panthers to eight SAC Conference titles, eight IHSAA Sectional titles, one team Regional Championship, one team Semi-State Championship, and 2002-03 Team State Finalists. During his tenure at Snider, there were 26 individual state finalists, 18 of which were medalists, three IHSAA (Indiana High School Athletic Association) state champions, and one IHSAA Mental Attitude award winner. Coach Ester’s squad produced six IHSAA Academic All-State wrestlers and added five other Honorable Mentions.

For the past four years, Ester has served as head assistant coach at the then new program at Trine University in northeast Indiana, helping to take the program to a ranking as high as No. 16  in the NWCA Division III polls with as many as seven nationally ranked wrestlers at one time, was a two-time Team NCAA Midwest Regional runner-up, and the school's first-ever NCAA qualifier (Nick Kraus).

"Indiana Tech has committed leadership from the very top down who are dedicated to the success of their student athletes," said Ester. "I'm excited to be a part of the Warrior athletic family and intend to represent the program with class and success as has been modeled by the other coaches and athletes here. Our mission will be to use this program as a mechanism to produce productive members of our society who are accomplished not only as athletes, but as scholars and citizens as well."

Thanks to TheMat.com for alerting us to this story.