PHILLIPS NAMED HEAD COACH

Ryan Phillips was named the new Head Coach of the Labette Community College wrestling program last evening at the Board of Trustees meeting. He takes over the Cardinal program after completing six years as an assistant coach at NCAA Division 2 Upper Iowa University. He will begin full time on Monday April 15, 2013. A meeting with the current members of the wrestling team is scheduled for Monday March 25th at 3:00 PM in the gymnasium.

Phillips began his collegiate career at Wartburg College and transferred to Upper Iowa prior to his senior season (2006-07). Phillips was the champion of the St. Cloud State Open. His senior season culminated in a 29-5 record and championship titles in the NCAA Division II North Regional and the NCAA Division II National Championships at 197 pounds.

The national championship was the first for Upper Iowa at the Division II level. Phillips finished his National Championship run with a 4-0 record and won his matches by a combined score of 43 to 6. Phillips performance was even more impressive as he did not surrender an offensive point throughout the championship. Phillips, who came into the national championships ranked #3 in the country, finished his collegiate career with a 16 match win streak that included a NCAA Regional Championship and an NCAA National Championship. Phillips defeated four of the top eight ranked wrestlers in the country over the course of the NCAA Regional and National Championships.

Phillips collected an All-American award, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Year award, and Northern Sun All-Conference honors. Off the mat, Phillips was a member of the Upper Iowa wrestling team that was ranked #8 in the NCAA Division II All-Academic Team Rankings presented by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

He was an Academic All-American in 2005-06 while wrestling at Wartburg. As a member of the Upper Iowa wrestling team Phillips won a Division II National Championship at 197 lbs. in 2006-07.

Phillips graduated from Burlington High School in Burlington, Iowa where he was the high school's first Iowa State Champion (215 pounds). Phillips is married to Tiffany Hansen. He is excited to become the third head coach in Cardinal wrestling history and looks forward to a successful 2013-14 wrestling season.