Kevin Ward - Assistant Coach - Cowboy Wrestling Coaches - Oklahoma State University Athletics

Kevin Ward

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
osu.wrestling@okstate.edu
Phone:
(405) 744-4541

Kevin Ward returns to his alma mater as an assistant coach for his first season after impressive stints at Army and Ouachita Baptist.

In 11 seasons at Army West Point, Ward led the Black Knights to a 59-53 dual record and coached 54 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. In his first year, his team defeated Navy to snap a 17-year winless drought. His tenure at Army also included seven wins over Navy and four-consecutive Star Series victories over the Midshipmen from 2016-17 to 2019-20, as he became the first coach in program history to accomplish that feat. Last season, Ward’s Army team sent seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships to mark the most for the program since 2021 and the second-most in program history.

Ward’s coaching accolades include being named the 2014 NCAA Div. II Coach of the Year, the 2019 EIWA Coach of the Year and a finalist for the 2019 NWCA National Coach of the Year.

Ward, who turned a wrestling program built from scratch at Ouachita Baptist University into a national contender, led the Tigers to top-15 finishes at the NCAA Championships in each of the program’s first three seasons. Ward coached 10 All-Americans and two NCAA finalists.

An accomplished wrestler at Oklahoma State, Ward started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Cowboys during the 2006-07 season, while earning his master’s degree in health and human performance. He assisted legendary head coach John Smith with drill sessions and preparing the team for competitions, as well as coaching at open tournaments. Oklahoma State posted a 14-5 overall record and took third place at the Big 12 Championships with Ward on staff. The Cowboys placed fifth at the NCAA Championships and had four All-Americans, including two national runner-ups, Coleman Scott and Johny Hendricks.

As a member of one of the most storied programs in the country, Ward had a tremendous amount of success as a wrestler at Oklahoma State. Ward was on four NCAA National Championship teams (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006) and two undefeated squads (2002-03 and 2004-05). In 2005, Ward beat three opponents in a row to grab the Big 12 title at the 157-pound weight class. He won 12 of his first 14 matches that season and posted a 23-12 record overall. Ward returned to the conference championship the following season, earning a runner-up finish.

Ward qualified for the NCAA Tournament twice and was a three-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Academic All-American. The Cowboys won four Big 12 championships in a row during Ward’s time in Stillwater. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.