Morningside College Men's Wrestling

Stevenson, one of the most decorated wrestlers in Morningside history, has guided the Mustangs to a 37-17 dual record in his four seasons as head coach. He has led the Mustangs to two GPAC championships and a pair of runner-up finishes in the GPAC standings during his coaching tenure. Stevenson was named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2012-13 and 2013-14 after he led Morningside to conference titles in both seasons. He led the Mustangs to a 12-4 dual meet record and a GPAC championship in 2012-13, followed by a 12-6 record and another GPAC crown in 2013-14.  Stevenson was the Mustangs assistant coach for three season from 2008-11 and the head coach of the Wayne State College Wrestling Club in Wayne, Neb., for the 2011-12 academic year. Stevenson was a four-time NAIA All-American and the colleges first NAIA National Champion. He posted a 130-25 record during his career for the most wins in school history. Stevenson captured the 2007 NAIA 184 lb. National Championship when he won a 3-1 decision against No. 1-ranked Joffre Lander of Embry-Riddle University in the title bout to cap a junior season where he had a record of 23-1. Stevenson won his final 11 matches of the season after he returned from a broken jaw he suffered against Austin Hayes of Buena Vista University on Nov. 29, 2006. Stevenson defaulted in that match for his only loss of the season. He earned All-America honors with fourth place finishes in the 174 lb. division at the NAIA National Championships as both a freshman and sophomore and earned All-America honors for the fourth time with a third place finish at 184 lbs. as a senior. Stevenson had a 45-8 record as a sophomore in 2005-06 to set a Morningside single-season record for victories. Stevenson was named the Mustangs Most Valuable Wrestler after each of his four seasons with the team. He was named to the National Wrestling Coaches Associations (NWCA) NAIA All-Academic Team three times and was a NAIA Champions of Character award recipient. Stevenson, a native of Albion, Neb., is a 2004 graduate of Boone Central High School, where he posted a 96-43 career record and was a three-time state tournament qualifier. He had a 32-4 record as a senior en route to a third place finish in the Class B 171 lb. division at the state tournament. Stevensons victories that season included two triumphs against Nebraska Class C state champion Caleb Mitchell of Norfolk Catholic and a win against Class D state champion Steven Dent of Mullen. Stevenson had a 31-8 record and placed fourth in the Class B 152 lb. division of the state tourney as a junior. Stevenson graduated from Morningside in 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and earned a masters degree in business administration from Wayne State in 2010.   Assistant Coach Scott Kruger E-Mail: Scott Kruger joined the Mustangs' coaching staff starting with the 2012-13 campaign.  Kruger was a member of the Mustangs wrestling team during the 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09 seasons. Kruger graduated from Morningside in 2011 with majors in business administration and history. He is a 2006 graduate of Sheldon High School, where he had a 118-17 career record and was a two-time Lakes Conference champion. He won 41 consecutive matches during one stretch of his career and was named the Orabs Most Valuable Wrestler three times.     Assistant Coach Josh Hardman Josh Hardman joined the Mustangs' coaching staff for the 2014-15 season. He was previously an assistant coach at South Dakota State University for four years and was a graduate assistant coach for the Jackrabbits from 2002-05. Hardman was also the head coach at GPAC rival Dakota Wesleyan for four seasons and an assistant coach at Manchester University for two seasons. Hardman is a 2000 graduate of Manchester, where he compiled a career record of 129-38 with 40 falls as a four-year letterwinner. He was a three-time NCAA Division III national qualifier and a two-time NCAA III All-American. Aside from his wrestling exploits, Hardman was also a three-year lettermen for Manchester's football team and a one-year letterwinner in track & field. Hardmen earned a master's degree in sport pedagogy from South Dakota State in 2004.   Assistant Coach Rulin Pederson Rulin Pederson joined the Morningside coaching staff as a student assistant coach after a standout wrestling career with the Mustangs. He finished his competitive career with a 68-28 record with 10 falls for 16th place on Morningsides all-time victory list. Pederson earned NAIA All-America honors with place winning efforts at the NAIA Wrestling National Championships as both a junior and senior. Pederson had a 13-6 record and placed sixth in the 184 lb. division of the national tournament in his junior campaign. As a senior, Pederson posted a 28-7 record to lead the Mustangs in victories and placed eighth in the 184 lb. division of the national tournament. Pederson, a senior from Sioux City, is majoring in business administration. Pederson graduated from Sioux City East High School in 2000 as the all-time victory leader in Black Raider history with a career record of 151-37 with 62 falls. He was a three-time state tournament qualifier and three-time Missouri River Activities Conference champion. Pederson had a 45-5 record with a career-high 24 falls as a senior. Head Coach Jake Stevenson E-Mail: Jake Stevenson, one of the most decorated wrestlers in Morningside history, has guided the Mustangs to a 37-17 dual record in his four seasons as head coach. He has led the Mustangs to two GPAC championships and a pair of runner-up finishes in the GPAC standings during his coaching tenure. Stevenson was named the Hauff Mid-America Sports/GPAC Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2012-13 and 2013-14 after he led Morningside to conference titles in both seasons. He led the Mustangs to a 12-4 dual meet record and a GPAC championship in 2012-13, followed by a 12-6 record and another GPAC crown in 2013-14.  Stevenson was the Mustangs assistant coach for three season from 2008-11 and the head coach of the Wayne State College Wrestling Club in Wayne, Neb., for the 2011-12 academic year. Stevenson was a four-time NAIA All-American and the colleges first NAIA National Champion. He posted a 130-25 record during his career for the most wins in school history. Stevenson captured the 2007 NAIA 184 lb. National Championship when he won a 3-1 decision against No. 1-ranked Joffre Lander of Embry-Riddle University in the title bout to cap a junior season where he had a record of 23-1. Stevenson won his final 11 matches of the season after he returned from a broken jaw he suffered against Austin Hayes of Buena Vista University on Nov. 29, 2006. Stevenson defaulted in that match for his only loss of the season. He earned All-America honors with fourth place finishes in the 174 lb. division at the NAIA National Championships as both a freshman and sophomore and earned All-America honors for the fourth time with a third place finish at 184 lbs. as a senior. Stevenson had a 45-8 record as a sophomore in 2005-06 to set a Morningside single-season record for victories. Stevenson was named the Mustangs Most Valuable Wrestler after each of his four seasons with the team. He was named to the National Wrestling Coaches Associations (NWCA) NAIA All-Academic Team three times and was a NAIA Champions of Character award recipient. Stevenson, a native of Albion, Neb., is a 2004 graduate of Boone Central High School, where he posted a 96-43 career record and was a three-time state tournament qualifier. He had a 32-4 record as a senior en route to a third place finish in the Class B 171 lb. division at the state tournament. Stevensons victories that season included two triumphs against Nebraska Class C state champion Caleb Mitchell of Norfolk Catholic and a win against Class D state champion Steven Dent of Mullen. Stevenson had a 31-8 record and placed fourth in the Class B 152 lb. division of the state tourney as a junior. Stevenson graduated from Morningside in 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and earned a masters degree in business administration from Wayne State in 2010.   Assistant Coach Scott Kruger E-Mail: Scott Kruger joined the Mustangs' coaching staff starting with the 2012-13 campaign.  Kruger was a member of the Mustangs wrestling team during the 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09 seasons. Kruger graduated from Morningside in 2011 with majors in business administration and history. He is a 2006 graduate of Sheldon High School, where he had a 118-17 career record and was a two-time Lakes Conference champion. He won 41 consecutive matches during one stretch of his career and was named the Orabs Most Valuable Wrestler three times.     Assistant Coach Josh Hardman Josh Hardman joined the Mustangs' coaching staff for the 2014-15 season. He was previously an assistant coach at South Dakota State University for four years and was a graduate assistant coach for the Jackrabbits from 2002-05. Hardman was also the head coach at GPAC rival Dakota Wesleyan for four seasons and an assistant coach at Manchester University for two seasons. Hardman is a 2000 graduate of Manchester, where he compiled a career record of 129-38 with 40 falls as a four-year letterwinner. He was a three-time NCAA Division III national qualifier and a two-time NCAA III All-American. Aside from his wrestling exploits, Hardman was also a three-year lettermen for Manchester's football team and a one-year letterwinner in track & field. Hardmen earned a master's degree in sport pedagogy from South Dakota State in 2004.   Assistant Coach Rulin Pederson Rulin Pederson joined the Morningside coaching staff as a student assistant coach after a standout wrestling career with the Mustangs. He finished his competitive career with a 68-28 record with 10 falls for 16th place on Morningsides all-time victory list. Pederson earned NAIA All-America honors with place winning efforts at the NAIA Wrestling National Championships as both a junior and senior. Pederson had a 13-6 record and placed sixth in the 184 lb. division of the national tournament in his junior campaign. As a senior, Pederson posted a 28-7 record to lead the Mustangs in victories and placed eighth in the 184 lb. division of the national tournament. Pederson, a senior from Sioux City, is majoring in business administration. Pederson graduated from Sioux City East High School in 2000 as the all-time victory leader in Black Raider history with a career record of 151-37 with 62 falls. He was a three-time state tournament qualifier and three-time Missouri River Activities Conference champion. Pederson had a 45-5 record with a career-high 24 falls as a senior.