Coach Jeffrey preps for upcoming season
By Whitley Reder
Head Women’s Wresting Coach Alijah Jeffery started coaching in August of 2021 for the Chadron State College and in the short extent of his tenure, he has already distinguished himself as one of the best coaches in the country.
Jeffery immediately brought in eight talented young individuals to CSC women’s wrestling and coached them well.
He took 50 percent of his team to the 2022 NCAA National Championships, a surprise for a coach in his first year on coaching a NCAA Division II team. Five of those eight girls became Academic All-Americans as well.
Prior to Jeffery’s coaching career, he wrestled for Linn-Mar High School in Marion, IA. He won a high school championship at 120 pounds in 2014. At the collegiate level, he was in the starting lineup for four years at Northern Illinois University. Jeffery was USA Folkstyle National Champion and a Fargo Freestyle Nationals All-American Honor.
Jeffery began his collegiate coaching career in 2019 at Indian Hills Community College, in Centerville, Iowa. Jeffery coached three Warriors to be the national championships and 12 All-Americans in the 2020-21 wrestling season.
“Women’s wrestling has been around for a while,” Jeffrey stated in an email. “However, it has just recently gained popularity and become an emerging sport at the NCAA level.”
Jeffery stepped up his recruiting plan with 21 new recruits for the fall season of 2022, one of the largest recruiting classes in the country. Jeffery was active on the national scene in 2021-22, traveling to national high school tournaments and building great relationships.
“Our goals start by just seeing all the athletes become the best version of themselves that they can be,” Jeffery stated. “If they continue to grow and succeed, great things can happen for this team. Our freshman class, along with the transfers we got in are incredibly talented with a lot of potential.”
The women’s team’s first wrestling match is on the road Oct. 5 at Colorado Mesa University, in Grand Junction, Colorado. Their first home meet is Dec. 10 against Hastings College.
“With any new program comes challenges,” Jeffrey stated. “We are working this year to build an excellent culture and a lasting program that will become elite on the national scene.”