The Open Mat presents awards annually in three categories for each division of college wrestling at the conclusion of the season. Awards are presented for Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.

The Roanoke College wrestling team recently concluded its best season in program history, finishing the dual meet season undefeated and ranked No. 1. In addition, the Maroons had their highest finish ever at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.

Roanoke head wrestling coach Nate Yetzer was named NCAA Division III Wrestling Coach of the Year by the Open Mat on Tuesday.

Yetzer, an NCAA Division I All-American at Edinboro, was hired in 2020 as the first head wrestling coach at Roanoke College. The program started competition the following year and in just five years has become one of the top programs in NCAA Division III wrestling.

In the 2024-25 season, Roanoke finished 15-2 in dual meets, crowned its first national champion and finished in the top 15 at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.

This past season, Yetzer guided the program to even greater heights.

Roanoke finished the season as the nation's No. 1 dual meet team after compiling a 15-0 dual meet record. The highlight of Roanoke's dual meet season came at the NWCA National in January. The Maroons claimed their first National Duals title with a 4-0 performance in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Roanoke knocked off Division III wrestling power Wartburg in the finals, 19-16.

In mid-February, Roanoke claimed its fourth straight title at the ODAC Wrestling Championships.

Two weeks later, Roanoke became the first ODAC team to win a regional title since 1953. Five Roanoke wrestlers won Region IV titles and qualified nine wrestlers for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.

Roanoke capped off its season at the 2026 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with a program-best sixth place finish. The Maroons finished with four All-Americans, led by NCAA runner-up Mark Samuel (141).