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Minnesota State University, Mankato
Minnesota State University, Mankato

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Head Coach

Page address: https://web.mnsu.edu/sports/takedownclub/headcoach.html

Jim Makovsky - Head Coach


james.makovsky@mnsu.edu

Jim Makovsky enters his 14th season at the helm of the Minnesota State wrestling program. As the head coach of the Mavericks, Makovsky has compiled a dual meet record of 155-62-2 with fifteen of his losses coming from some of the top NCAA I wrestling programs in the country (Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State, Wisconsin, Northern Iowa). His MSU dual meet win-loss percentage (71 percent) ranks him third nationally among active NCAA II wrestling coaches.

Makovsky's overall record in seventeen seasons as a head coach stands 180-81-4. In his coaching career, Makovsky has tutored seven individual national champions and fifty-three All-Americans.

Nationally, he has developed the Maverick wrestling program into one of the premier wrestling programs in the nation. Under his tutelage, the Mavericks have placed in the top eight nationally nine times and have had five individual national champions and fifty All-Americans. In addition, Makovsky has had sixty-five NWCA Academic All-Americans and has placed his teams in the top ten academically seven times.

In the 2005-2006 season, Makovsky gided the Mavericks to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA II National Championships, second at the NWCA National Dual Meet Championships and compiled a 14-2 dual meet record with both losses coming from three-time NCAA II national champions Nebraska-Omaha. Nine team members qualified for the prestigious event and six wrestlers came home placing in the top eight, earning NCAA II All-American status. The past two seasons, the Mavericks have compiled a 30-5 dual meet record with four losses to Nebraska-Omaha.

In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Makovsky is an active member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association and is an Assistant Professor in the MSU Human Performance department. He recently served two-years as the president-elect and two-years as the president of the NWCA. Makovsky also is a member of the NWCA Board of directors serving all the various deivisions of collegiate wrestling.

Makovsky is a 1989 graduate of Valley City State University where he competed in both wrestling, football and served as the head wrestling coach for four years before coming to MSU in 1993. Makovsky led two wrestlers to NAIA national championships and had a dual meet record of 25-19-2 at VCSU. Makovsky earned his Master's Degree in Sport Administration from MSU in 1996.

Makovsky was instrumental in MSU securing the 2004 NCAA II National Championships and planning and designing the 4,000 square-foot Rummy Macias Wrestling Complex. In addition, Makovsky has been involved in promoting and developing young wrestlers by implementing the Junior Maverick Wrestling Camps and Maverick Wrestling Camps. Makovsky also has his wrestlers involved in several area youth programs and serve as officials for various area youth wrestling tournaments.

Makovsky and his wife, Dawn make their home in Mankato and have two sons, Nick (10) and Luke (8) and a daughter, Mia (5).