SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University Wrestling will take on new leadership beginning with the 2024-25 season. On Wednesday (July 17), the Concordia University, Nebraska Athletic Department announced the hiring of Josh Watts as Head Wrestling Coach. Watts formerly served as the Director of Wrestling at Iowa Western Community College. Watts acted to immediately tab Isaiah Crosby as his lead assistant, a role Crosby also held at Iowa Western.
Watts takes the reins of the program after Chase Clasen spent the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons leading the Bulldogs. Watts becomes the 13th head coach in the history of the program.
Said Watts in a statement, “My family and I are excited to join the Concordia University family. Leaving Iowa Western was a very difficult decision, but Concordia University and the community just felt like home. I am looking forward to a new challenge building a program that follows the mission of Concordia University. I am grateful to also have Coach Crosby join me at Concordia. Isaiah is an exceptional mentor in all aspects of life faith, academics and athletics. He will be a great asset not only to our athletes but to Concordia University.”
Director of Athletics Devin Smith stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Josh Watts as Head Wrestling Coach and Isaiah Crosby as Assistant Wrestling Coach. In his tenure at Iowa Western, Coach Watts demonstrated an ability to build and maintain a wrestling program that consistently achieved regional and national prominence while exhibiting class in the manner his athletes conducted themselves. Furthermore, Coach Watts’ credentials jump off the page. I am confident that Coach Watts will provide our program with stability and credibility as Bulldog Wrestling seeks to compete for championships and for spots on the podium. Through the hiring process, I became convinced of the ability of Coach Watts and Coach Crosby to set an example as servant leaders who will strive to be champions for Christ in the classroom, within our community and on the competitive surface.”
Watts has spent the previous 13 years at the helm of Iowa Western men’s wrestling, a powerhouse program within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). He also oversaw the women’s wrestling program that was inaugurated in 2021. During his tenure leading the Reivers, Watts coached eight men’s national champions, two women’s invitational national champions, one women’s JCNC national champion, 123 national qualifiers and 69 combined men’s and women’s All-Americans.
Recognized nationally for his coaching prowess, Watts was tabbed the NJCAA National Coach of the Year in 2020 and the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Man of the Year in 2022. He was also twice honored as the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2023. Watts led the Rievers men’s wrestling program to national tournament top 10 placements 10-straight years from 2015 through 2024. Both his 2020 and 2023 squads placed third in the NJCAA. The ’20 team also finished as the runner up at the NJCAA National Duals.
Watts’ collegiate coaching experience also includes stints as the head coach at NJCAA Darton College of Albany, Ga., from 2007-2011 and as assistant coach at NCAA Division III Loras College of Dubuque, Iowa, from 2005-2007. Watts’ 2010 Darton team placed 10th at the NJCAA National Championships. In sum, Watts arrives at Concordia with 17 years of head coaching experience.
Prior to his coaching career, Watts starred on the mat at both the high school and collegiate levels. He completed his prep career at Davenport Assumption as the winningest wrestler in Iowa high school history (upon graduation) with a 190-4 overall record. Watts won three state championships and was named a high school national All-American while regarded as one of the top 25 recruits in the country. Watts is an Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Famer. As a collegiate competitor, Watts wrestled for two years at NCAA Division I University of Northern Iowa before wrestling for two seasons at Loras College. Watts earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education from Loras.
Josh and his wife Cari have four children: Aidan, Jaxson, Karver and Maverick. Josh is a native of DeWitt, Iowa.
Most recently the Associate Head Wrestling Coach at Iowa Western, Isaiah Crosby was hired by Watts promptly following his own athletic career. A native of Miami, Fla., Crosby wrestled for Watts at Iowa Western and was a two-time NJCAA national champion while wrestling at 157 and 165 pounds. Crosby then transferred to NCAA Division I Oregon State University and competed in Corvallis for three seasons (2021-24) for Head Coach Chris Pendleton. Crosby placed third at the Pac 12 Championships in 2023 and was part of a conference championship team that season.
Said Crosby of the opportunity at Concordia, “First and foremost, I would like to thank God for putting me in the position I am today. I am truly blessed and grateful that he has placed me in a Christian university. I’m grateful that I can be a leader for Christ and also a role model for all wrestling athletes that come through Concordia Nebraska. The biggest vision I have for this program is to not only lead our young men to Christ, but also help Concordia compete at the highest level possible. Working with Coach Watts has been absolutely great. I haven’t met a more understanding and humble man in my life. He is also very fair and just with his programs. That is one of the reasons why I really enjoy working with him – because he gives everyone a chance to become a better wrestler and man.”
As a prep wrestler, Crosby won back-to-back state championships at South Dade High School in Florida. He posted a record of 31-1 as a high school senior.
Isaiah is the son of Mary and Alfanzo Crosby and has nine siblings. Isaiah earned a bachelor's degree from Oregon State in Human Development and Family Sciences. He also acquired an associate degree from Iowa Western.
For more on Concordia Wrestling, check out the program’s homepage HERE.
Assistant Wrestling Coach Isaiah Crosby