Augsburg’s Jeff Swenson to resign from wrestling head coach position; will remain as college’s Assistant Dean of Athletics and Recreation; Sam Barber named new wrestling head coach
MINNEAPOLIS (3/6/07) — Augsburg College wrestling head coach Jeff Swenson has announced on Tuesday that he is resigning his coaching post in order to focus on his responsibilities as the school’s Assistant Dean for Athletics and Recreation.
Swenson, a 1979 Augsburg graduate, has served as head coach of the Auggies for 25 seasons (1980-84, 1986-2007), building the squad into a national small- college wrestling powerhouse. Under Swenson’s leadership, Augsburg has won a record 10 NCAA Division III national championships and produced a career dual- meet record of 321-44 (.879 winning percentage).
Sam Barber, who has served as an assistant coach on Swenson’s staff for six seasons, will take over head coaching duties for the Auggies. Barber has served as associate head coach for the last two seasons. A 1995 Upper Iowa University graduate, he served as head coach for the Peacocks in the 1999-2000 season. During his Augsburg tenure, Barber has been a part of three national championship squads and two national runner-up squads, and has coached 46 All- Americans and 13 individual national champions. He was named Division III Co-National Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 2006.
In his role as Assistant Dean for Athletics and Recreation as a member of President Paul C. Pribbenow’s staff, Swenson supervises the 18-sport Augsburg intercollegiate athletics program, the athletic facilities department, and the college’s intramural athletic program. Swenson was named to the position on an interim basis in 2001, and his posting was made permanent in 2004.
“I look forward to working with Coach Swenson in the years ahead as we partner to make Augsburg one of the finest examples of NCAA Division III athletics in the country — a college that honors the connections between academics and athletics, that celebrates both sportsmanship and competition, and that helps our students to grow as individuals and teammates, “Pribbenow said. “I can think of no one better than Jeff Swenson to lead us in this vision for intercollegiate athletics at Augsburg College. His track record speaks for itself. His love for the college is unparalleled. And he has the passion, commitment and skills to guide our athletics programs into a bright future.”
Last weekend, Augsburg won its 10th Division III national championship, claiming three individual champions and nine All-Americans in the national competition in Dubuque, Iowa. Swenson was named NWCA National Coach of the Year. It was the third year in the last four that Augsburg has had nine or more All-Americans.
Swenson has been a member of the Augsburg community for more than 30 years — as a student, coach and administrator. A national champion wrestler at Augsburg in his senior year of 1979 with a career record of 102-17, Swenson began his coaching career in his first year out of college, as an assistant coach on John Grygelko’s Auggie staff. Grygelko retired in 1980, and Swenson was named head coach.
Swenson said that two years ago, he made the decision that he would step down from his coaching post this year. He said that focusing on his role in athletic administration will help him in his goals to improve every aspect of Augsburg’s athletic program among schools in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and NCAA Division III.
“For me, this is a cause for celebration. It’s not a sad day. It’s a great day. I’m able to listen to my vocational calling and lead the entire athletic department without having the coaching demands, “Swenson said.
As an administrator, Swenson has led the Augsburg program through a period of unprecedented growth and improvement. This year, construction was completed on the new Kennedy Center addition to Si Melby Hall, which includes expanded classroom, meeting and locker room space, along with a new fitness facility and a new wrestling training facility. Two years ago, a new SprinTurf surface was installed at Edor Nelson Field, and a new seasonal air-supported dome was installed for the first time this year over the field.
“I’ve been around Augsburg since the fall of 1975, over 30 years, “Swenson said. “Augsburg has shaped me. Augsburg has made me who I am, and it’s allowed me to pursue my passion to be a coach. Now, I have a greater passion to lead the entire athletic department as a full-time administrator. I’ve learned a lot about leading and coaching by being the head wrestling coach here for 25 years. That’s going to help me as I lead Augsburg athletics into the future.”
Under Swenson’s leadership, Augsburg has won 10 NCAA Division III wrestling national titles in the last 17 years, a championship total doubling that of any other Division III school. Augsburg is one of only three NCAA schools to have won 10 or more wrestling national titles (Oklahoma State has won 34 Division I team titles, while Iowa has won 20 Division I team titles). Augsburg has also finished second in Division III national competition seven times, and has finished among the top four teams in national competition the last 19 seasons in a row — the only NCAA school in any division that can make that claim.
During his tenure as Augsburg’s head coach, Swenson has coached 158 All- Americans and 39 individual national champions. Since beginning its competition in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 1983 (Augsburg competed in the NAIA prior to 1983), Augsburg has won 38 Division III national titles, the most of any Division III school. Augsburg has had at least one All-American in national wrestling competition (NAIA and NCAA) every season since 1977, at least six All-Americans every year since 1996 and at least five All-Americans every year since 1989.
Augsburg has also been a success in the classroom. Over the past 24 seasons, Augsburg has produced 100 NWCA Scholar All-Americans, the most of any college in any division in the nation. Augsburg had five Scholar All-Americans this season, has had at least three Scholar All-Americans every year since 1993, and has had 77 athletes honored since 1997. Augsburg has also had eight ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans in wrestling, as awarded by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Over the past 10 seasons the NWCA has awarded Division III academic team national championships, Augsburg has finished second three times and first once (1998-99). Augsburg finished 11th among Division III schools with a 3.283 team grade-point average.
Swenson, whose teams also won 20 MIAC team titles, was named MIAC Coach of the Year 13 times and NWCA National Coach of the Year six times (1983, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2007). Swenson was inducted into the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005, the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association/David Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
“I am proud to know Jeff Swenson and to be able to honor his remarkable career as our head wrestling coach at Augsburg, “Pribbenow said. “He has accomplished great things with his wrestling teams — 10 national championships, countless individual titles, team academic achievements and so on. But perhaps more than anything, I am proud of Jeff’s commitment and passion for that individual student who needs the guidance, support and challenge to be the best he or she can be — as an athlete, as a student, as a person. Jeff exemplifies what makes Augsburg the special and rare place that it is — putting students first and helping them to grow to be successful, responsible and good people.
“Jeff Swenson leaves a remarkable legacy as the Augsburg wrestling coach. He has built a program that will endure as a shining example of quality and achievement. Now he has made the remarkable decision to bring his skills and passion to bear on moving Augsburg’s intercollegiate athletics programs to the next level of excellence. Surely there is no one better than Jeff to lead our athletics programs — both to the benefit of our student-athletes and the reputation of the college.”
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