The University of Minnesota and wrestling head coach Brandon Eggum have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Eggum at the helm of his alma mater through the 2025-26 season.
“It is an honor to lead this storied program, along with our amazing staff,” Eggum said. “We will continue to build on the tradition built by those who have worn the Maroon and Gold, keep recruiting at a high level and develop men of high character. We are excited about the future of this program.”
Eggum is currently in his seventh full season as head coach at the University of Minnesota, after spending the five previous seasons as the program’s head assistant coach. With a 5-0 record on the season, Eggum holds an all-time dual record of 68-35 with the Gophers.
“Brandon has done a fine job leading our wrestling program,” Minnesota Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said. “He has established a successful culture where our student-athletes are excelling on the mat and in the classroom, and we are excited for him to continue to lead our program in the future.”
Since joining the staff in 2000-01 following a decorated career as a Golden Gopher wrestler, Eggum has helped train and develop 12 individual national champions, 33 individual conference champions, and 104 All-Americans. Eggum helped play a crucial part in the national title runs of Luke Becker, Jared Lawrence, Dustin Schlatter, and Jayson Ness, as well as two-time champions Damion Hahn, Cole Konrad, Tony Nelson and Gable Steveson.
Under his tutelage, Eggum has coached all three Hodge Trophy winners in program history. In addition, he’s had six Gophers receive the Big Ten Medal of Honor, five be named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, four take home Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and three win Big Ten Athlete of the Year.
Minnesota has also had a remarkable run of team success throughout Eggum’s tenure, a stretch that has included all three of the program’s national team titles, five Big Ten championships, and seven National Duals crowns.
Eggum was a four-time letterwinner for the Gophers from 1997-2000. As a sophomore earned his first All-America honors at 177 pounds when he placed fifth at the 1998 NCAA Championships. Starting in 1999, Eggum bumped up to 184 pounds, where he would place second and third in consecutive NCAA championships, respectively. Eggum also won the Big Ten title at his weight in both of those seasons, and helped Minnesota win the 1999 Big Ten championship, which was the program’s first since 1959.
(Info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
