Western Colorado University Men's Wrestling

Charlie Pipher begins his seventh season as the Western Colorado wrestling team heading into the 2023-24 season. Piper sits at 58-34 in duals overall, including 26-9 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference duals that led to an RMAC title and a trio of runner-up finishes. The 2022-23 campaign he led culminated in a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division II wrestling championships -- the program's highest team finish since a fourth place in 2004 -- and represented the highest placing by any of the RMAC schools at the 2023 event. Two wrestlers, Jason Hanenberg (149) and Hunter Mullin (165) were national runner-ups, while Patrick Allis (125) wrestled back to a third-place finish and Cole Hernandez (174) worked his way back to a sixth-place finish as all four earned All-America honors. In his fifth season in 2021-22, Pipher produced two All-Americans in Cody Fatzinger and Hunter Mullin. Had three Mountaineers - Fatzinger, Jason Hanenberg and Mullin - qualify for the NCAA DII National Championships. The Mountaineers had six wrestlers make the All-RMAC team; Mullin (first team), Fatzinger (second team), Hanenberg (second team), Alex Alvarez (honorable mention), Sammy deSeriere (honorable mention), and Cole Gray (honorable mention),  Finished third in the RMAC standings with a 5-2 conference record.  It was a pandemic-shortened 2020-21 for the Mountaineers, though Pipher and company did lead Western to a fifth-place finish at NCAA Super Region 6 and saw Patrick Allis take fifth-place at the NCAA Championships at 133 pounds - his second-straight All-American finish. In his third season in 2019-20, Pipher led the Mountaineers to a 13-6 dual record, including 6-1 in the RMAC that led to an RMAC runner-up finish. The Mountaineers took second at NCAA DII Super Regional VI with Patrick Allis (125 pounds) and Hunter Mullin (165) qualifying for nationals. While the NCAA Championships were canceled, Allis, who went 27-8 and was the No. 5 seed at nationals, was named an All-American to go along with NWCA super Region 6 Rookie Wrestler of the Year. In 2018-19, Pipher brought home an RMAC Championship with a victory over Colorado Mesa in the final dual of the season. The Mountaineers then went on to place second at Region IV Championships as Western's Brandon Supernaw and Konnor Schmidt each earned Region VI Championship titles, while Jason Hanenberg placed second and Dylan McBride placed third.  All four of those athletes competed at the at the National Championships with Brandon Supernaw earning his second All-American honors. Western finished the 2018-19 season with a 14-4 (6-1 RMAC) dual meet record. In his first season at the helm, Pipher produced two All-Americans in Brandon Supernaw and Konnor Schmidt. In total, three Mountaineers qualified for the NCAA Championship in 2018 as Western finished 14th at the NCAA Championship. Additionally, Konnor Schmidt won the NCAA DII Region IV title at 197 lbs.  Western finished the 2017-18 season with a 12-4 (5-1 RMAC) dual meet record. The Mountaineers placed fifth at the RMAC Championship before taking fifth at the NCAA DII Region IV Championships.  With five years under his belt as head coach, Pipher has produced six All-Americans, three Region IV champions and 11 national qualifiers.  Since Pipher first joined the staff in 2011, Western has groomed 10 RMAC and 13 NCAA Region IV Champions, 17 Division II All-Americans and 13 Academic All-Americans. During his time as assistant from 2011-17, Pipher helped develop wrestlers on the mat and helped oversee their academic performance. Pipher also helped in recruiting and fundraising, including being the assistant camp director for the highly successful and long-running Rocky Mountain Wrestling Camps. Each summer the camps bring thousands of wrestlers to the Gunnison Valley.   As a wrestler at Western, Pipher was a three-time All-American and two-time conference champion for the Mountaineers, wrestling from 2005-11. He helped the Mountaineers take home the RMAC and Super Region IV title in 2010 and earn a fifth-place team finish at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2011 after placing second individually.   Pipher graduated from Western in May of 2011 with a degree in exercise and sport science and business. He earned his graduate degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University - Irvine (California) in 2015.   He and his wife, Ashleigh, also a Western alumna, have a daughter and a son.  

Otto is in his 16th season as assistant coach for the Western State Colorado University wrestling program in 2014-15. A native of Forest Grove, Ore., Otto wrestled for the Mountaineers from 1996-98 and was a three-time All-American. He was the 1997 Colorado Collegiate champion and was a part of the American wrestling teams that toured Bulgaria and Colombia. Otto graduated from Western State College with a degree in kinesiology.

Van Hee is in his 18th season as head wrestling coach of the Western State Colorado University Mountaineers in 2014-15. He was the assistant coach at Western from 1993-1997. In 2014, Van Hees team finished as the second ranked NWCA All-Academic team. In 2004, Van Hee was named the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year and has been cited by National Wrestling Hall of Fame Colorado Chapter as Colorado College Coach of the Year on five occasions (2001, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011), more than any other collegiate coach in Colorado. Hes a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year (2005, 2009, 2010). In 1995, Van Hee was named the Assistant Collegiate Wrestling Coach of the Year for all levels by Wrestling USA Magazine. Van Hee has coached six NCAA Division II National Champions - Shane Carwin (1999), Dave Vondy (2001), Jared Haberman (2004), Adrian Jiron (2004) and Donovan McMahill (2010 and 2011) 14 NCAA Division II National Finalists, 46 NCAA Division II All-Americans, and 50 NWCA All-Academic wrestlers. Van Hees dual record for Western Wrestling is 139-81-5 and his teams have finished in the Top 25 every year and in the top 10 eight times. In 2004, the Mountaineers finished fourth at the NCAA Division II Championships, and fifth at the 2011 championships. The Mountaineers won 16 straight home duals from 2008-09 through the 2010-11 season. Van Hee wrestled for the Mountaineers from 1990-93. He was a two-time All-American and RMAC champion, and a NCAA Division II West Regional champion. In 1992, he was selected as a member of the USA-Collegiate Cultural Exchange Team that toured Poland and Germany. Originally from Fowler, Colo., Van Hee also was three-time high school state champion at Fowler High School and an Asics Junior National All-American and Cadet All-American. He holds a bachelors degree in technology from Western State (1994) and earned his masters degree in sports management from the University of Northern Colorado in 1997. Van Hee is also the Director of the Rocky Mountain Wrestling Camp which is the longest running and one of the most successful wrestling camps in America. The late legendary Western State wrestling coach, Tracy Borah, started the Rocky Mountain Wrestling Camp in 1963. Last summer, Van Hee and his camp staff brought in over 1,000 wrestlers and coaches from over 70 high schools and 14 states to the Rocky Mountains for four sessions that included an individual camp, an intensive camp and two team camps. He and his wife, Tonya - who is the Director of Alumni Relations for Western have two boys, Bryson (14) and Jared (11).

Donovan McMahill, a two-time national champion at Western, is starting his 10th season as an assistant coach for the Mountaineers with the 2023-24 season.  During his time at Western, McMahill has helped produce 17 NCAA Division II All-Americans and three national finalists. He also has been a crucial component of Western's recruiting success.  Before returning to his Alma matter, McMahill spent the three years as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).  During his tenure at SIUE he helped them finish their transition to NCAA Division I and coached their first national qualifier.   McMahill was the 2011 NCAA Division II National Tournament Outstanding Wrestler and Wrestler of the Year for Western Colorado. He went undefeated at the 197-pound weight class his senior season and completed his career with a 51-match winning streak.   A three-time All-American and two-time national champion, McMahill earned numerous awards at Western, including Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2009. He also was the Freshman Wrestler of the Year in the RMAC in 2008. He completed his career with a record of 137-20 that included wins over several NCAA Division I competitors. McMahill was inducted into the Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame in September 2021.   McMahill graduated from Western in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology as well as exercise and sports science. He also earned his master’s degree in sport psychology from SIUE in 2013, and works with athletes as a sport psychology consultant.

Cruz is in his fourth season as an assistant wrestling coach for the Western State Colorado University Mountaineers in 2014-15.   A Western graduate of the 2011 class, Cruz was a three-time NCAA II National Qualifier and an NCAA II All-American in 2011 at 133lbs for the Mountaineers.  Cruz was also a four-time NCAA II Super 4/RMAC placer and a runner-up.                                                                                                     Originally from Colorado Springs, Cruz was a High School State Champ for Wasson High School and was recruited to Western State in 2006.   Cruz fell in love with the beauty of Gunnison immediately and graduated with a degree in Exercise Sports Science and a minor in Business Administration.   Jesse currently works for the Western Alumni office and enjoys being outside in the Gunnison valley as much as possible.