Coaching Staff

Head coach Jim Miller came to Wartburg in 1991. Since then, his teams have compiled a 304-28-3 dual meet record, won 16 consecutive Iowa Conference championships, won six national championships since 1996, and placed first or second in the nation 14 of the past 16 years. Wartburg has also reeled off a remarkable string of 122 consecutive dual wins against Iowa Conference competition, dating back to 1994, and has reached the 20-win dual mark in each of the last four years. Wartburg owns four NWCA Division III National Duals championships (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007).

Miller is a member of the National Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was named Division III Rookie Coach of the Year and National Rookie Coach of the Year by Amateur Wrestling News in 1992 and Division III Coach of the Year in 1993, 1996,1999 and 2003. He also won Coach-of-the-Year laurels in the Iowa Conference in 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 and was the third runner-up (1996) and recipient of the prestigious Dan Gable all-division Coach of the Year award in 2004 as selected by W.I.N. magazine. Wrestling USA magazine tabbed him Iowa's Man of the Year in 2003. Miller is a member of the Glen Brands Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame and the East (Waterloo) High School Athletics Hall of Fame.

He previously served for eight years as the top assistant at the University of Northern Iowa where he was honored as an assistant Coach of the Year in 1989. Prior to moving to UNI, he was an assistant coach at Riceville High School and a head coach at Charles City High School, where he compiled a 55-10 record. He was named Iowa High School Coach of the Year in 1979 and Iowa's Freestyle Coach of the Year in 1982.

He received the Distinguished Service Award in wrestling in conjunction with the 1980 Olympics.

While attending UNI, where he earned a B.A. degree in 1975 and an M.A. degree in 1988, Miller was a two-time NCAA champion in Division II and a two-time All-American in Division I, placing second and fourth.

Eric Keller returned to the program in 2006-07 as the associate head coach. He was an assistant for head coach Jim Miller's teams from 2000-05, being part of five consecutive Iowa Conference championships and NCAA Division III national championships in 2003 and 2004.

Leading North Central College of Naperville, Ill.'s program prior to returning to Waverly, he helped guide a turnaround for the Cardinals as they had their best collegiate wrestling season to date, gaining three All-Americans and going through a dual season with a perfect record. Keller was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Rookie Coach of the Year at last year's national championships.

Keller earned his degree in health and physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1999. He was an NCAA All-American and Academic All-American for the Panthers and also added world team wrestling trials qualifier, Northern Plains Regional Olympic champion and UNI team captain (1998-99) honors to his competitive resume. He was also a two-time Iowa state champion, compiling a 161-10-1 record in the high school ranks.

He and his wife, Valarie (Drees '02), reside in Cedar Falls.

Chris Ortner is in his third season with the Knights staff in 2007-08.

Ortner previously led Waterloo (Columbus) High School to three consecutive top seven finishes at the Class 2A state tournament including a team championship in 2004. He was a two-time All-American in Wartburg's wrestling room, placing sixth in 1997 and 1998.

Wil Kelly, a former 141-pound national champion, is in his third season as an assistant coach in 2007-08. A native of Dubuque, Kelly ended his competition career for the Knights with an individual national title in 2003, part of the 10 All-American team at Ohio Northern University. He was a two-time top three finisher at nationals, adding a third-place effort in 2002. He resides in Cedar Falls.

Paul Reedy is in his second season as an assistant coach in 2007-08. Reedy competed for head coach Jim Miller at 125 pounds from 2003-06.