IW Athletics
MOUNT PLEASANT – Jake Kadel, who has led the Iowa Wesleyan Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Teams for the majority of the 2021-2022 season, has officially been named the new Head Coach of both programs.
Kadel, a New London, Iowa native, led the Iowa Wesleyan Women’s Wrestling Team to a 13th place finish at the NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Invitational, which took place in Jamestown, North Dakota, on March 11-12, 2022. Adaugo Nwachukwu (FR/San Jose, CA) became Iowa Wesleyan’s first NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Champion when she defeated her opponent 13-3 in the 136-pound championship match. Mia Palumbo (FR/Oak Lawn, IL) also saw success by securing the National Runner-Up spot in the 109-pound weight class. Both Palumbo and Nwachukwu now garner the title of NAIA All-American.
“I am excited to get the opportunity to lead this program going forward,” Kadel said. “I cannot say enough about the current student-athletes of this program. They are committed to the success of this program and extremely passionate about Iowa Wesleyan University. I would like to thank President Plunkett, Derek Zander, and the administration for supporting me through this transition. I look forward to developing young men and women who will be successful on the mat and in the classroom.”
Kadel was the assistant coach for Iowa Wesleyan’s Wrestling programs for the inaugural season of the women’s program and the return season of men’s wrestling since the 1970s. Five Tigers qualified for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships during this season. Alaina Sunlin (SO/Monticello, IA) and Daisy Scholz (SO/Bennett, CO) walked away with fifth and sixth-place finishes, respectively, along with the title of All-Americans.
Before Iowa Wesleyan, Kadel spent one year as the Assistant Wrestling Coach at St. John’s Jesuit High School and Academy in Toledo, Ohio. Prior to that, he was a wrestling instructor for the Hard Drive Performance Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While Coach Kadel was a member of the University of Iowa Men’s Wrestling Team, he served as a camp counselor at the University of Iowa Sports Camps in Iowa City, Iowa.