2023 Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee
Jason Christenson just wanted to prove that he belonged, and it is safe to say he did just that and much more during his 30 years of coaching high school wrestling.
After college, he spent six seasons as the head coach at Collins-Maxwell-Baxter. He started his coaching career out with a 9-32 dual meet record but finished his last season at CMB with a 12-2 record. Jason then moved to Oskaloosa to be the head coach from 1997-2001. Finally, in 2001, he landed his dream job as head coach at Southeast Polk. “When the job posted in the newspaper, my wife tossed it at me and told me to apply right away”.
In 2013, Christenson led his team to the championship podium, which was the first time in over 50 years that Southeast Polk had won a state championship. From that point on, the flood gates opened. Jason retired from the head coach position at Southeast Polk in 2020.
During his legendary career he compiled a 482-106-6 dual meet record. Jason coached 186 state qualifiers, 127 place winners and 25 state champions, including 9 state team titles (5 duals, 4 traditional), 6 team runner-up finishes (2 duals, 4 traditional) and 22 top four team finishes at the state tournament.
He has coached 22 USA Wrestling National Champions, over 85 USA Wrestling All-Americans which includes 45 Fargo All-Americans and 7 Fargo Champions. His athletes have found success after high school as he has now coached 9 Division I All-Americans including National Champion Cory Clark.
Christenson was named the Iowa USA Wrestling Coach of the Year in 2001, 2010 and 2012, IWCOA Class 3A Coach of the Year 2001 and 2012, USA Wrestling National Developmental Coach of the Year in 2007, USA Wrestling “Chuck Elvin Award” in 2014, Des Moines Register All Iowa Wrestling Coach of the Year 2016, NWCA National Scholastic Coach of the Year in 2019, IWCOA Coach of the Year in 2019 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award in 2020. He was inducted into the Southeast Polk Hall of Champions in 2013, Glen Brand Hall of Fame, Bob Siddens Coaching Excellence Award in 2013 and Central College Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Christenson family legacy has run strong for many years and will continue. Jason and his father Denny were the second father/son duo to coach state title winning teams in Iowa. The family has now sent four generations of wrestlers to the Iowa state wrestling tournament: Dennis (Jason’s grandfather) in 1942, Denny (Jason’s father) in 1965, Jason in 1987 and Gabe (Jason’s son) in 2017.
Jason credits his coaching success to great assistant coaches, hardworking student athletes and top-notch community support. “Having assistant coaches who are selfless and took the time with the JV, or what we called “Jeff’s Varsity” is what made us successful at Southeast Polk”.
Coach Jason Christenson has proven that he belongs in the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Christenson was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2023 along with Ken Gallagher, Dan McCool and Cliff Moore.
Additional Honors & Achievements
2001, 2010, and 2012 Coach of the Year, Iowa USA Wrestling
2001 and 2012 IWCOA Class 3A Coach of the Year
2004-2005 President of Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association
2007 USA Wrestling National Development Coach of the Year
2013 Bob Siddens Iowa High School Coaching Excellence Award (inaugural winner), National Wrestling Hall of Fame
2014 USA Wrestling “Chuck Elvin Award”
2016 Des Moines Register All Iowa Wrestling Coach of the Year
2019 NWCA National Scholastic Coach of the Year
2019 IWCOA Coach of the Year
2020 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award
2023 Division I USAWKS Youth Coach of the Year for Bobcat Wrestling Club
2024 IHSSA Wrestling Hall of Fame
Director/Team Leader/Coach/mat official for IA/USAW for 28 years
Coach/Team Leader for 5 Team Iowa USA Wrestling National Championships
Coaching
Record482-106-6
186 state qualifiers, 127 state place winners, 25 state champions, 9 state team titles (5 duals/4 traditional
22 USA Wrestling National Champions
85 USA Wrestling All-Americans from scholastic teams including 45 Fargo All-Americans, and 7 Fargo Champions
9 Division I All-Americans