Ryan Ludwig Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 2nd season Alma Mater: Findlay, 2000

E-Mail Coach Ludwig rludwig@niu.edu

Ryan Ludwig enters his second year as Dave Grant's head assistant. In addition to training daily with the Huskies in the mat room, Ludwig also heads up Northern Illinois' recruiting efforts. He and Coach Grant continue to bring in stellar recruiting classes year after year. Ludwig's initial recruiting effort yielded athletes with outstanding credentials. This year's recruiting class boasted four high school All-Americans, a total of thirteen individual state titles and a NJCAA national runner-up. The Huskie family is extremely excited about the potential of these athletes as they enter competition.

During the 2005-06 season, Ludwig's first in DeKalb, NIU went 10-5-2 in dual meets while garnering three NCAA national qualifiers and two individual MAC champions.

"Ryan has a relentless work ethic and an outstanding knowledge of the sport of wrestling. He has excellent leadership qualities and is a role model to our student-athletes. His recruiting efforts have advanced the program to a new level," said Grant about his top assistant.

Ludwig comes to Northern Illinois after a stint at Minnesota State University-Mankato. While coaching the Mavericks, Ludwig guided the team to a third place finish in the NCAA Division II Championships. He also helped produce and train eight All-America place winners while at MSU-Mankato.

Prior to his work with the Mavericks, Ludwig served as an assistant wrestling coach for his alma mater, the University of Findlay. While working as an assistant at Findlay, he was able to hone his craft as a recruiter and as coach. However, much of Ludwig's early coaching database stems from his experience as a wrestler for the Roughnecks.

As a wrestler, Ludwig was a three-time NAIA All-American and national finalist. He was voted Most Valuable Wrestler when the Roughnecks were NAIA national runners-up in 1999. In fact, Ludwig was such a successful wrestler that he still ranks third on the UF all-time career win list with 108 victories. As a prep, Ludwig also captured a Michigan high school state title at 142 pounds in 1995.

Ludwig earned a bachelor of arts degree in 2000 from Findlay as a double major in psychology and criminal justice. Although he has earned credits toward a juris doctor degree, he is now completing work on a master's degree in sports administration from MSU-Mankato.