Robin Ersland new head coach at Minot State

September 3, 9:50 AMCollege Wrestling ExaminerMark Palmer

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Robin Ersland (Photo/InterMat)

What was first reported on the amateur wrestling website TheWrestlingMall.com on Monday, is now official: Minot State University has hired Robin Ersland to re-establish the school's wrestling program.

For the past 15 years, Ersland has been the head wrestling coach and strength coordinator for the University of Central Missouri. While at the Warrensburg, Missouri school, Ersland was responsible for all aspects of the Division II program including initiating a wrestling hall of fame, leading 10 teams to top-20 national team finishes and coaching 30 All-Americans, including an individual national champion, Plamen Paskalev, in 2006... the school's first national champion since 1991.

Ersland brings nearly 30 years of coaching experience to Minot State. Before coming to Central Missouri State in 1995, Ersland had served as head coach at California University in Pennsylvania for seven years. While at California, Ersland produced 22 national qualifiers, including a two-time national champion and two runners-up. Before taking the California position, Ersland was head wrestling coach at Northern Michigan for three-and-a-half years. While there, he produced 13 NCAA qualifiers, 11 All-Americans and his teams finished in the Top 20 three times at the NCAA Division II Championships. Prior to Northern Michigan, Ersland launched his coaching career at MacMurray College in Illinois, a Division III school.

Ersland graduated in 1979 from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he lettered in wrestling and football, and played rugby. In 1982 he went to the University of Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant coach under wrestling legend Dan Gable. During his two years as a graduate assistant, Ersland served as head coach of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.  He received his master's degree in physical education in 1984 from the University of Iowa.

Rick Hedberg, Minot State Athletics Director, says the department is fortunate to receive a coach of this caliber to reinstitute wrestling.

"Robin will do a great job of building our wrestling program," Hedberg said. "He has more than 15 years of NCAA Division II head coaching experience, and he's been successful at the DII level. Robin is well connected in the wrestling community, and I look forward to working with him."