Lincoln College hires Mena as Head Wrestling Coach

[June 10, 2017]  LINCOLN -  Lincoln College is pleased to announce the hiring of Mike Mena, as the newest Wrestling Coach and Fitness Center Manager. Mena will take over a program that is rich in tradition winning two national titles and placing in the nation ten times. Most recently, the Lynx squad place 4th in the 2017 national tournament.

A native of Sterling, Illinois, Mena started his wrestling career at Newman Catholic High School where he was a four-time Illinois State Champion for the Comets. Mena’s college career took him to the University of Iowa where he was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American and an NCAA finalist for the Hawkeyes.

Mena began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Indiana. While at Indiana, he helped the Hoosiers coaching staff earn seven (7) nationally ranked recruiting classes which produced 19 NCAA All-Americans and 3 NCAA Champions. After Indiana, Mena became an assistant coach at Cal State University at Bakersfield for two years. While at Bakersfield he helped the Roadrunners coaching staff earn a top 20 national recruiting class.

For the last five years, Mena has been the head assistant coach at the University of Dubuque. In that role helped head the Spartans produce ten NCAA DIII National Qualifiers and one All-American. In 2014, he assisted the team to a Top 15 All-Academic Team performance and a 100% graduation rate.

"I am humbled and honored to serve as Head Wrestling Coach at Lincoln College, a school that has a legacy of academic and athletic excellence,” Coach Mena said. “I would like to thank President Gerlach, Athletic Director Dave Klemm, and the board of trustees for this wonderful opportunity and for believing in me. Additionally, I would like to thank my family for all their love and support. I am looking forward to working closely with the administration, faculty, staff and student-athletes on a daily basis to execute the mission and values of Lincoln College."

Lincoln College Athletic Director Dave Klemm says, “I am very excited about Mike being our next coach. Mike possesses outstanding coaching and recruiting skills that should lead to the continued success of the LYNX Wrestling Program here at Lincoln College.”

In addition to coaching, Mena will manage the Scott Joslin Fitness Center inside the Lincoln Center.

Mena earned a Bachelor in Liberal Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 1997.

[Mark Tippett]