Coe coach stresses be the best — period

CEDAR RAPIDS - John Oostendorp's coaching philosophy has been one of the biggest reasons Coe has ascended to new heights in NCAA Division III college wrestling.

Oostendorp, in his 10th season as the Kohawks' head coach, subscribes to the ideal that his team should strive to be the nation's best college wrestling program regardless of division. The Kohawks go from striving to be the best to wrestling the absolute best today against defending national champion Iowa in the Iowa City Duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Competition begins at 2 p.m.; the Coe vs. Iowa meet at 6 p.m.

“You limit yourself if you look at yourself as a certain level of a program,” Oostendorp said. “We're a wrestling program. Our kids that come here, you get some decorated young men and they have high goals at the highest level. We want to challenge them and give them that opportunity.”

The Kohawks have beaten opponents from other divisions, including Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (44-3) and UNC-Pembroke (28-10) at this event last year. Coe will wrestling the Air Force Academy team next month in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“I like to continue that type of mindset,” Oostendorp said. “I think we have the type of kids who want that type of challenge.”

Coe has six wrestlers returning with national tournament experience, including 125-pound champ Clayton Rush and All-Americans Nick LeClere, who was fourth at 165, and Seth Rehn, who placed seventh at 174.

Sophomores Chris LeClere and Drew Hinschberger and Handley, a junior, also qualified for last year's national meet.