Virginia Tech Wrestling Coach Kevin Dresser Accepts Job at Iowa State

Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies mascot during the first quarter of the ACC Championship college football game against the Clemson Tigers at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Orlando, FL, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies mascot during the first quarter of the ACC Championship college football game against the Clemson Tigers at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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After completely turning the wrestling program around, the Hokies lose head coach Kevin Dresser to Iowa State

Virginia Tech head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser is going back home.

The Humboldt, Iowa native, who is in his 11th season with the Hokies and has resurrected the program among the nation’s elite, accepted the Iowa State head coaching job on Monday afternoon, Virginia Tech announced.

https://twitter.com/VT_Wrestling/status/833783566463070209

This comes as little surprise for all involved, but the timing is less than ideal. Prior to the Hokies’ dual-meet with the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Sunday, Virginia Tech athletic director Whit Babcock and Dresser issued a statement to the widespread rumors about the Cyclones pursuing the 54-year-old Virginia Tech coach.

After the dual meet with #6 Nebraska, which resulted in another impressive victory for the fifth-ranked Hokies, Dresser further addressed the situation with the vacant Iowa State position in the post-match press conference.

From that moment, it was clear that his heart was back home in Iowa, and that it would only be a matter of time before a decision would be made about his future. According to Andy Garman of KCCI-TV, Dresser’s new contract with Iowa State is a seven-year pact, worth $2.25 million in guaranteed salary. His base in 2017-18 is $300,000.

With Dresser accepting the coaching position with the Cyclones, the Hokies are now without their head coach for the upcoming ACC Championships and the NCAA Championships which both take place in the coming weeks.

The Hokies finished fourth in the NCAA Championships last season, which was the highest finish ever for the school, as well as the highest national finish in ACC history.

Associate head coach Tony Robie has been named interim head coach and will assume his new role immediately.