By Grace Long, Staff Writer
After almost two decades of leading Newman University’s wrestling program, head coach Ryan Smith has decided to retire, and Newman hopes to have his replacement named by the end of the school year.
Smith began his journey with the wrestling program as a student athlete for the program in 2004-2005, which was Newman wrestling’s inaugural season. He became the head coach in 2008 and was only the second coach in program history.
Under Smith’s guidance, the team celebrated its first NCAA national championship in 2018, produced multiple All-Americans, and had many memorable match-ups in the MIAA.
Smith said that the first time the Jets beat a major MIAA rival — Lindenwood University in 2018 — was one of the most memorable moments of his career. He also will always remember winning the Kansas Cup as a team in 2018 and beating Fort Hays in Fugate Gymnasium in 2019.
“Those stick out because they were monumental,” Smith said, “years of hard work paying off.”
However, Smith said, the relationships he built with the wrestlers mattered more than the wins and losses. One of the best parts of his job was seeing his athletes thrive after wrestling, whether that be coaching, teaching or raising families.
“Knowing we touched not just the guys who were successful on the mat but also those who got something else out of our program — that’s been the most rewarding,” Smith said.
Junior wrestler Caleb Wunsch has been wrestling under Smith since 2020. He said that Smith knows how to get the best out of his wrestlers.
“He’d tear you down just to build you up twice as tall,” Wunsch said. “He always told us to get 1 percent better every day.”
Wunsch credits Smith with “changing my life.” He said that Smith taught him how to be a better father, son, brother, teammate and friend and described Smith as an older brother and dad mixed into one.
Smith, similarly, said that leaving the program is “like a dad missing their kid who is leaving for college.”
It was “just time” to retire, he said, and he looks forward to having more time to spend with his family. However, retirement doesn’t mean leaving the mat for good. He plans to stay involved in wrestling by coaching on a high school team, he said.
Interim Athletic Director Billy Murphy praised the impact that Smith has had on the wrestling program, noting that he was always a good role model for the athletes and led the team to many awards.
Murphy said that the hiring committee, which includes a couple of coaches and administration members, are in the process of finding Smith’s successor. The committee has already started interviews and is narrowing it down to final candidates.
He hopes to hire a new coach by graduation, Murphy said, adding that Newman is looking for someone with strong leadership skills, culture-building abilities and a focus on serving student athletes.
PHOTO: Courtesy Newman Wrestling
