ISU coach Kevin Jackson has been named Amateur Wrestling News’ 2009-10 Rookie Coach of the Year. The 1992 Olympic Gold medalist led the Cyclones to a 13-2 record and a third-place finish at the NCAA championships in his first year as the program’s coach.

“Any time you have a chance to be honored, it is a humbling experience,” Jackson said in a news release. “I’m honored to be recognized by Amateur Wrestling News. I appreciate it a lot.”

Despite some minor misfortunes that his inaugural campaign included, Jackson advanced three wrestlers — Andrew Long (125 lbs.), Jake Varner (197 lbs.) and David Zabriskie (Hwt) — to the championship matches of their respective weight classes. Varner and Zabriskie, both seniors, were crowned national champions at 197 pounds and heavyweight, marking the first time multiple Cyclones have won titles in the same year since 2002 when Aaron Holker, Joe Heskett and Cael Sanderson won titles.

Jackson has been recognized for his impact on the wrestling world in multiple ways.

He was inducted into the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame and the United States National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a distinguished member. He is also a 2007 inductee of the Iowa State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

One year after the departure of former coach Cael Sanderson, ISU Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard was faced with a tough task in finding his replacement.

A year later, he assured himself he found the perfect suitor for Cyclone wrestling.

“Coach Jackson has been everything we thought he was going to be,” Pollard said. “What struck us in our meeting with him last year was his passion for wrestling and his knowledge of the sport, both at the collegiate level and internationally. He’s been everything and anything we could have wanted with his drive and energy for the ISU wrestling program.”

With his first year under his belt, Jackson is looking toward the future and what it has in store for him and his program.

“I see the future as what every ISU coach that has been in my seat has strived for,” Jackson said. “We are going to contend year-in and year-out for national championships and we want to win them. We want to give our student-athletes and our program every chance to be the best.”