Colton McKiernan enters his third season as assistant men’s wrestling coach at Fort Hays State University in 2025-26.
The Tigers have had one All-American and one All-MIAA recipient during McKiernan's tenure at FHSU.
McKiernan spent five years at SIU-Edwardsville where he twice qualified for the NCAA Division I National Championships. As a senior he won the 2023 MAC Championship at 285 pounds, the first-ever MAC title for the Cougars. McKiernan turned in a career record of 91-44 with 22 pins, including a mark of 30-5 during his final season in 2022-23.
He placed fifth at the prestigious 58th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships as a senior and was one win shy of All-American status at the 2023 NCAA DI National Championships, going 3-2 at the national meet. McKiernan twice reached the MAC Conference championship bout, where he placed in the top seven all five years (second in 2019, seventh in 2020, sixth in 2021, fifth in 2022, first in 2023). He was selected Athlete of the Year as a senior by fellow SIUE SAAC athletes at the Cougar Choice Awards.
A native of Richmond, Mich., McKiernan was a four-time placer at the MHSAA Championships for Richmond High School, finishing second as a senior at 215 pounds, second as a junior at 189 pounds, third as a sophomore at 171 pounds and eighth as a freshman at 152 pounds.
McKiernan earned a bachelor’s degree from SIU-Edwardsville in the spring of 2023.
