University of Northern Iowa’s Doug Schwab named WIN Magazine Dan Gable Coach of the Year

Doug Schwab received more recognition for University of Northern Iowa’s banner wrestling season.

Schwab was named Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (WIN) Magazine’s Dan Gable Coach of the Year, according to a news release Friday. The award was his third Coach of the Year honor this season, garnering the same distinction from the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the Big 12 Conference.

Schwab is the first UNI coach to receive the honor that has a little special meanring.

"Obviously it is a great honor," Schwab said in the news release. "I appreciate the recognition. I got to be coached by Gable and an award named after him is pretty cool.

“People have to understand it is beyond you as the head coach. It is the whole staff. I have a high-level of responsibility in being the guy leading the charge, but it doesn't happen without the assistants and the support staff following up behind you and doing so much of the work."

The Panthers had a banner season for Schwab’s 15th year leading the program. UNI posted a 14-1 dual record, winning the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals NCAA Division I title. The Panthers placed ninth at the NCAA Championships and finished second at the Big 12 Championships, just four points shy of Oklahoma State.

UNI tallied the most dual wins since the 1990-91 season, beating six ranked teams. The Panthers climbed to fourth in the NWCA dual rankings, which tied the program’s highest ranking ever in 1988.

Cael Happel, Parker Keckeisen and Wyatt Voelker all won Big 12 titles this season. Happel and Keckeisen earned All-American status, extending UNI’s streak of having an All-American to 10 seasons.

Schwab’s work ethic and rapport with his wrestlers has spawned success.

“He’s the most caring and involved coach,” Voelker said. “He’s never made anyone do anything he hasn’t or won’t do (himself). Usually, we do hard workouts together and he’s usually beating me. He’s one of my favorite people to be around and I always feel like I’m learning when I’m in his presence.”

Schwab ranks third in UNI history with 127 dual wins. Ninety-two Panthers have qualified for the NCAA tournament and 22 have earned All-American honors under Schwab, an Osage native who was an NCAA champion for the Iowa Hawkeyes and a 2008 Olympian for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club.

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