Adam Aho was named the University of Mary Head Wrestling Coach in June 2013. Adam Aho enters his 13th season at the helm of the University of Mary Wrestling program during the 2025-26 season. Aho has coached 15 All-Americans and one National Champion over his tenure.Â
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During the 2024-25 season, Aho would lead the Marauders to a 7-7 record and a 5-4 record in conference. He would coach Reece Barnhardt to the first-ever NCAA National Championship in UMary wrestling history at 133 pounds. The Marauders would send a program-best five wrestlers to nationals (Leo Mushinsky, Sean Solis, Luke Tweeton, Kaden Renner, and Barnhardt). Barnhardt (1st), Solis (3rd), and Renner (5th) would each earn All-American status. UMary claimed 6th place at Nationals, the highest finish in NCAA history for the Marauders.  The team finished 6th at the NWCA National Duals. Barnhardt was named NSIC Wrestler of the Year and NSIC Outstanding Senior of the Year. The NWCA announced that ten UMary wrestlers were named to the 2025 NCAA DII Men's Scholar All-American Awards. Ten wrestlers would earn NSIC All-Academic Team recognition.
Amidst the 2023-24 season, Aho would see UMary finish with an 11-5 record and a 6-3 conference record. Reece Barnhardt and Luke Tweeton would both advance to the NCAA Championships and would each earn All-American status. Barnhardt finished 4th and Tweeton placed 8th. The Marauders finished 6th at the NWCA National Duals. UMary took 24th at nationals. Nine wrestlers would claim NSIC All-Academic Team recognition.
In the 2022-23 season, UMary would finish the season with a 13-4 record and a 6-3 conference record. The Marauders would take third at the NWCA National Duals, the highest finish in school history. UMary would send four wrestlers (Reece Barnhardt, Max Bruss, Matthew Kaylor, and Luke Tweeton) to nationals. Barnhardt (7th), Bruss (5th), and Kaylor (5th) would each earn All-American status, the most All-Americans in a season for the Marauders. A program-record four
Marauders earned 2022-23 NSIC wrestling all-conference honors (Wyatt Lidberg, Barnhardt, Tweeton, and Bruss). UMary finished 12th at nationals, the highest the Marauders have finished in the NCAA era. Twelve wrestlers would earn NSIC All-Academic Team recognition.
During the 2021-22 season, Aho was able to lead the Marauders to an impressive 10-3 record, with a 4-3 record in conference duals. True freshman Reece Barnhardt would be named NSIC Wrestling Rookie of the Year after finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships. Barnhardt was also awarded NWCA DII Rookie of the Year. A program-best four wrestlers (Barnhardt, Matthew Kaylor, Braydon Huber, Leo Mushinsky) qualified for nationals. Eleven wrestlers would earn NSIC All-Academic Team recognition.
Amidst the 2020-2021Â pandemic season, Coach Aho and his Marauders were able to reel in success on and off the wrestling mat. He led his team to a 2-3 finish, with a 1-1 record in conference duals. Twelve wrestlers earned National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-American honors; Laken Boese, Max Bruss, Sam Bruss, Matt Kaylor, Wyatt Lidberg, Logan Mahoney, Riley Mitchell, Chandler Mooney, Jacob Morgan, Riley Noble, Phillip Springsteen, and Jaden Verhagen. To add icing to the academic success; Laken Boese was named to the NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence, while Logan Mahoney, Riley Mitchell, Lincoln Turman, Anthony Velazquez, Max Bruss, and Grant Litke were named to the NSIC All-Academic Team. At the NCAA Super Regional V, Aho coached four men to the semifinals (Braydon Huber, Max Bruss, Matt Kaylor, and Dominic Tudor). Max Bruss punched his ticket to his first NCAA Championship at 174 lbs by earning his way into the finals and taking second place. Braydon Huber took third place at 165 lbs and earned a bid to his second NCAA Championships. Braydon Huber finished in 8th place at the 2021 NCAA Championships, earning him All-American honors at 165 lbs. Max Bruss won his first match and lost his next two, both by one point and a match away from All-American honors.
During the 2019-2020 season, head coach Adam Aho led the Marauders to a 6-7 dual meet record
and finishing 4-4 NSIC conference duals. In the classroom three grapplers garnered NSIC
All-Academic accolades; Austin Eichmann, Gerardo Jaime, and Logan Mahoney. Aho also had five
wrestlers earn National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American status; Laken Boese,
Lincoln Turman, Logan Mahoney, Phillip Springsteen, and Grant Litke. The Marauders made their
first Division II appearance at National Duals in Louisville, Kentucky where they finished 1-2. At
National Duals, they defeated Lindenwood University who was ranked #16 in the country at the time.
The season was highlighted with five regional placers and two NCAA Division II National Qualifiers
(Braydon Huber and Phillip Springsteen). The NCAA Division II National Tournament was cancelled
due to COVID-19. Both Huber and Springsteen were named All Americans by the National
Wrestling Coaches Association.
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Finishing the 2018-19 season, Aho led the Marauders to a 6-4 record- 4-4 in NSIC competition. Tate
Barndardt, Nathan Humann, Noah Huff and Gerardo Jaime were the four Marauder grapplers to
receive NSIC All-Academic honors. At the Super Regional V tournament, Aho had five regional
placers and qualified three for the 2019 NCAA Division II National Tournament in Cleveland, Ohio.
They finished the season with two All Americans; Tate Barnhardt with a 5th place finish at 133 lbs.
and Phillip Springsteen with a 7th place finish at 174 lbs.
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During Aho’s fifth season, the Marauders finished 8-6 overall and 5-3 in the Northern Sun
conference. Marauder wrestlers Tate Barnhardt, Noah Huff, Nathan Humann, and Christopher
Leatherman earned NSIC All-Academic honors. The Marauders finished 10th out of 15 in the NCAA
Regionals team standings. Tate Barnhardt was awarded the NSIC Wrestler of the Year. Six wrestlers
advanced to day two of the 2017-2018 NCAA Regionals. Marauders, Tate Barnhardt placed sixth
and Jared Reis placed third; Reis became the first UMary student-athlete to advance to the national
championships since 2013. Reis placed 5th in the 157 weight bracket, earning All AMERICAN
honors at the NCAA Division II Championships.
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In the 2016-2017 season, Aho coached the team to an overall 8-8 record and a 3-5 North Sun
conference record. Five Marauder wrestlers; Tate Barnhardt, Dane Fischer, Noah Humann, and Paul
Michaelson, were awarded NSIC All-Academic honors. One wrestler, Paul Michaelson, claimed sixth
place at the NCAA Regionals.
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During his third season he led his team to a 7-12 overall record, with a 2-6 Northern Sun conference
record. Three Marauder grapplers received NSIC All-Academic honors: Dane Fischer, Paul
Michealson, and Travis Smith. Five wrestlers advanced to day two of the NCAA Super Regional
Tournament in 2015-16. They were Josh Jensen, Tate Barnhardt, Rudy Guillen, Jakob Weisbrod,
and Travis Smith. Josh Jensen placed fourth and Travis Smith placed sixth in their weight classes,
assisting the team to a 12th place finish.
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In his second season, the Marauders finished 1-15 overall and 0-8 in the Northern Sun Conference.
Taylor Hellman; a junior wrestler for UMary, received the NSIC All-Academic honors in the
2014-2015 season. Hunter Menendez and Tom DeVito advanced to day two of the NCAA Super
Regionals.
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In his first season at U-Mary, the Marauders finished 2-10 overall and 1-7 in the Northern Sun. One
Marauders grappler earned NSIC All-Academic honors. Two wrestlers, including All-American Trevor
Johnson, advanced to the second day of the NCAA Regionals in the 2013-2014 season.
Aho joined the U-Mary staff after serving two seasons at Minnesota State University. During his
tenure at MSU, Aho coached four All-Americans and six all-conference wrestlers. The Mavericks
finished eighth at the NCAA Division II National Championships in 2012-13 after placing 23rd in
2011-12.
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As a student-athlete, Aho was a four-year starter at North Dakota State University. Graduating in
2009, Aho served as a team captain his senior season. During his prep career at Frazee High
School, Aho won a state championship in 2004 and placed a total of three times at the Minnesota
Class A State Tournament.
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Aho and his wife LaBreena reside in Lincoln, ND where they are raising their two sons Brayden and
Braxtyn.
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