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Robin Ersland

Head Coach

Robin Ersland is in his 13th season as UCM's head wrestling coach.  In addition to his coaching duties, Ersland is the strength program coordinator for the athletic department at Central Missouri.

Last season he led a rebuilding effort as the Mules returned only three starters from the previous season, but still fashioned a 9-10 dual meet record.  With two national qualifiers, the Mules finished out of the top 20 at the national tournament for the first time in nine years.

In 2005-06 he led the Mules to an 9-7 dual record, and to a 15th-place finish at the NCAA-II Championships.  Plamen Paskalev became UCM's first National Champion since 1991 as he went undefeated at 18-0 on the season. 

His best year came in 2001, when Ersland led the Mules to a 14-5-1 record and to UCM's best-ever national finish in 11th place with 45 points.

In his 12 seasons at Central Missouri, Ersland has had 59 national qualifiers, 26 All-Americans and has been named NCAA Division II Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 1996, 1998 and 2000. His dual match record at Central Missouri is 114-104-2. His overall dual match record is 187-229-7 in 23 seasons as a head coach.  His squads have had nine top 20 finishes in the last 12 years at the NCAA-II Championships.

Ersland was named head coach at Central Missouri State in 1995, after serving as head coach at California University in Pennsylvania. In seven years at California, Ersland produced 22 national qualifiers, including a two-time national champion and two runners-up. His last three California teams ranked in the Top 25 in Division I in the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Teams.

Before taking the California position, Ersland was head wrestling coach at Northern Michigan for three-and-a-half years. While there, he produced 13 NCAA qualifiers, 11 All-Americans and his teams finished in the Top 20 three times at the NCAA Division II Championships. He took the position at Northern Michigan in January of 1985, after starting the school year as head wrestling coach at NCAA Division III  MacMurray College (Ill.).

Ersland graduated in 1979 from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where he lettered in wrestling and football, and played rugby. There he received his bachelor's degree in history secondary education.

Upon graduation, Ersland spent a year and a half as a junior high school teacher and coach at Kalona, Iowa. In 1982 he went to the University of Iowa and worked as a graduate assistant coach under wrestling legend Dan Gable. During his two years as a graduate assistant, Ersland served as head coach of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. Three Olympic champions were included among the club's members.  Ersland also has served as a coach on various national and international teams.

He received his master's degree in physical education in 1984 from the University of Iowa. A native of Menominee, Mich., the 51-year-old Ersland has three daughters - Amanda (23), Molly (21) and Abby (16).