Wes Hand

Position: Assistant Coach Alma Mater, Year: University of Iowa, 2000

Former Hawkeye wrestler Wes Hand is in his second season as assistant coach for the University of Iowa wrestling team. In his first season at Iowa, Hand helped coach Mark Perry to Big Ten and NCAA titles. The Hawkeyes also crowned three all-Americans in 2006.

Hand was an assistant coach at Virginia Tech for four years (2002-06), serving under Brands for the last two seasons. During his tenure with the Hokies, the team won the 2005 regular season Atlantic Coast Conference title, set a school record for dual meet wins (16) and had a school-record five wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships. Senior heavyweight Mike Faust was named 2006 ACC Wrestler of the Year. The Hokies also posted two top-10 nationally ranked recruiting classes, earning a #2 ranking from Intermat.com and W.I.N. Magazine in 2005 and a #9 ranking in 2004.

While competing at Iowa (1997-2000), Hand posted a 102-32 career mark at heavyweight. He placed second at the 2000 NCAA and Big Ten Championships. He also placed eighth at the 1998 NCAA meet.

Hand was born July 8, 1976. A native of Tama, IA, he earned a B.S. in health, leisure and sports studies from the University of Iowa in 2000.