OWENSBORO, Ky. -- Jacob Lorentz has been named the next head wrestling coach at Kentucky Wesleyan College.

"I am very honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead this new chapter of Panthers wrestling," Lorentz said. "It means the world to me to have the faith and support of the administration here at Kentucky Wesleyan College, along with my family. This is a dream job for me, and I will bring that passion with me daily. I can't wait to get started as we continue to grow and develop daily, on and off the mat.

The hire was officially announced by Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Jason Vittone on Monday. Lorentz becomes the fourth head coach in program history.

"I am excited to welcome Jacob Lorentz as our next head wrestling coach," Vittone said. "Jacob brings a proven record of recruiting and developing student-athletes both athletically and academically. He laid the foundation for success at his previous institution, and I look forward to working with him, and supporting him and his student-athletes, on building a culture of excellence here at KWC. Now we must get to work. In the words of the great Dan Gable, 'No Stalling'."

Lorentz previously held the position of head men's and women's wrestling coach at William Woods University in Fulton, Missouri.

In the 2024-25 men's wrestling campaign, Lorentz helped WWU to its first two open championships (165) in program history, placed second in the AMC and 5th in the AMC/SAC Championships, and coached the AMC Freshman of the Year, two All-AMC honors (165 and 125), a national qualifier (174), and seven AMC/SAC conference place winners. He also had three NAIA academic All-Americans.

During the 2024-25 women's wrestling season, Lorentz coached the Owls to two open championships, five Heart Championships placers, one All-Heart honoree (honorable mention, 207), a national qualifier, and their first-ever All-American (207). In the classroom, two of his wrestlers were NAIA academic All-Americans. The Owls finished 26th at the NAIA National Championships.

In the inaugural 2023-24 men's wrestling season, Lorentz guided his first national qualifier (285), the AMC/SAC conference champion (285), two conference placers, the Newcomer of the Year, and one All-AMC wrestler (174), along with one NAIA academic All-American.

In the inaugural 2023-24 women's wrestling season, Lorentz saw WWU claim its first open championship, two Heart conference placers, and one NAIA academic All-American.

He joined the Owls in November 2022 after an extremely successful high school career. Lorentz holds a 146-37 career high school dual meet record as a head coach. He coached varsity at Long Prairie/Grey Eagle-Browerville for seven years (2014-21) before stepping away. While at LPGE-Browerville, he turned around the program and finished with a 111-9 record in his final four seasons.

He is a three-time Park Region Coach of the Year, two-time Prairie Conference Coach of the Year, two-time Section 5A Coach of the Year, the 2019 Minnesota Class A Coach of the Year, and the 2019 Minnesota Coach of the Year.

At LPGE-Browerville, he coached two State individual champions, 14 State Place Winners, and 32 State Qualifiers. His teams were Minnesota State Class A State Champions twice (2018-19, 2019-20), Section 5A Champions three times (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20), Section 5A runners-up twice, and Park Region Conference Champions Dual/Individual Champions four times.

Lorentz was also a part of the Minnesota Storm USA Wrestling – Nationals Duals coaching staff in Greco/Freestyle in 2017.

He and his wife, Miranda, have two sons, Cael and Chace, and one daughter, Chloe, and are excited to join the Owensboro community.