University of Wisconsin, Platteville Men's Wrestling

Topher Carton was named head coach of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville wrestling team in May of 2023.Carton's first season as head coach saw him collect his UW-Platteville dual win against UW-Oshkosh by a score of 45-3. The Pioneers would later take fifth at the 2024 WIAC Tournament, with four wrestlers finishing in the top six in their respective weight classes.Carton brought with him five years of NCAA Division III coaching experience. Prior to UW-Platteville he was as assistant coach from 2019-2023 at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Since starting his coaching career, he has coached 23 national qualifiers and 15 All-Americans including three national champions.  The Rock Island, Illinois native wrestled himself at the University of Iowa and was a four-year varsity letter winner and 2017 national qualifier for the Hawkeyes. Carton graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Sport and Recreation Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies and Entrepreneurship.  After Iowa, Carton moved to Bismarck, North Dakota where he served as graduate assistant coach at the University of Mary. He returned to Iowa to take over as Director of the Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club and soon joined the Kohawk staff.  Prior to Iowa, the Davenport Assumption High School graduate finished with a 175-2 career record and was a three-time state champ along with a four-time state finalist. 

DeRoehn was named head wrestling and assistant strength and conditioning coach on June 10, 2014.  He and his staff have worked hard to reinvigorate the Pioneer Wrestling program.  Building upon the success experienced their first season, the 2016 Pioneers finished in third place outright as a team at the NCAA West Region.  Eight student-athletes finished in the top six at the Regional, setting a new program record for the second season in a row.  Five student-athletes qualified for the 2016 NCAA National Tournament in Cedar Rapids, IA, the most Pioneers in a single season since 1998.  UW-Platteville was one of only eleven teams in the nation to have five or more wrestlers competing at the NCAA Tournament.  Three student-athletes were also recognized by the National Wrestling Coaches Association earning Scholar All-American honors.  At the 2016 WIAC Tournament, three Pioneers competed in the championship finals, the most in a season since 2006.  Scottie Arneson was named "John Peterson Wrestler of the Meet" for his individual championship at 133 pounds, becoming just the fifth Pioneer wrestler ever to gain that recognition in the 43 year history of the event.  

Alex Friddle heads into his second season with the Pioneers in the fall of 2024. In his first season with the Pioneers, Friddle helped coach one NCAA Upper Midwest Regional place finisher, four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference place finishers, and one National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American.Friddle joined the UW-Platteville staff after a successful collegiate career of his own. At Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Friddle was a four-year starter, 2021 NWCA National Champion at 125 pounds, a 2021 ARC All-Conference selection and voted the 2021 team MVP.In high school, Friddle was a four-time Illinois state medalist, two-time state finalist and the 2019 IHSA 132-pound 2A State Champion. He finished with a 192-10 career record. Prior to UW-Platteville, Friddle helped coach his hometown Coal City youth wrestling program and wrestling camps for two years. Outside of coaching wrestling, Friddle coached CrossFit in Hiawatha, Iowa for two years.