CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI head wrestling coach Doug Schwab on Tuesday announced the addition of Ian Parker as the program's newest assistant coach.

"I am fired up to have Ian Parker on our staff," said Panther head coach Doug Schwab. "His energy is contagious, his work ethic is second to none, and he's going to elevate everyone - athletes and coaches alike. He's relentless about doing things the right way, every day, and embodies being a gritty and selfless individual. I can't wait to watch the impact he has throughout our program!"

A St. Johns, Michigan native, Parker joins the UNI staff after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia, where he helped coach seven NCAA qualifiers, including a pair of Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champions in Nick Hamilton (165 pounds) and Dylan Cedeno (141 pounds). He also spent the 2022-23 season coaching at Army, working with the Black Knights' seven NCAA qualifiers.

"I am so excited to join the Panther Train family and contribute to a culture that continues to put a fun, gritty type of wrestling on the mat and to impact the lives of young men that choose to wrestle for Northern Iowa," said Parker. "Doug Schwab and the entire Northern Iowa program were a common opponent I had the opportunity to compete against while being in the Big 12. They were always a team that impressed me with their character and their fight. Through the wins and losses against the Panthers, I left the mat respecting the way UNI represented our sport."

Parker spent his six-year collegiate career at Iowa State competing at 141 pounds, compiling a 112-39 career record with the Cyclones. The 2020 Big 12 Conference champion and a four-time NCAA qualifier, he earned All-American status during his redshirt junior season and was also a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American in 2020 and an Academic All-Big 12 Team selection in 2022. Parker graduated from Iowa State with a bachelor's degree in communication studies and continues to compete, being named to the U.S. Senior National Team this summer at 70 kilograms in freestyle action.