La Crosse, Wis. - UW-La Crosse Intercollegiate Athletics is giving fans an opportunity to get to know its 16 head coaches during the 2019-20 season. We thank all 16 of the Eagles' head coaches for participating. Our head coach being recognized today is wrestling's Dave Malecek. 

Malecek completed his 14th season as UWL's head coach in 2019-20.  He has led the Eagles to top-four finishes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships seven years.  UWL placed second in 2008 and 2010, third in 2007, 2009 and 2011 and fourth in 2012 and 2013.  Five wrestlers were set to compete at the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships March 13-14 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa before being canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat. 

He has led UWL to nine Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) titles (2007-11, 2017-20) and been selected the Mertz Mortorelli WIAC Coach of the Year on seven occasions (2007-11, 2015, 2017).  UWL has earned the WIAC Coaching Staff of the Year Award three times (2018-20).  Malecek was named the 2020 NCAA III Upper Midwest Regional Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to a second-place finish after nine (out of 10) wrestlers placed in the top-four.

UWL is 195-47-1 (.805) in overall duals under Malecek, including 66-7 (.904) in the WIAC.

Malecek served as the head assistant coach at Wartburg College (Iowa) from 2000 to 2006, helping lead the Knights to three NCAA Division III Championships (2003, 2004, 2006).  He was selected the NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year in 2006.  A four-time NCAA Division I qualifier at Northern Iowa University (1991-94), Malecek earned All-America accolades in 1994 with a fourth-place finish at 177-pounds.  He served as the Panthers' team captain in 1993 and 1994 and ranks seventh in career victories at Northern Iowa.  Malecek earned his bachelor's (1994) and master's (2005) degrees from Northern Iowa.  He was a participant in the United States' Olympic Wrestling Trials in 1992 and 1996.  Malecek was also a two-time state champion at Osage (Iowa) High School.

Malecek was joined by assistant coaches Ross Needham, Josh Passe, Austin Goregan, Trevor Pruett, Ben Thornton, Albie McKinney and Mike Maksimovic.

Dave Malecek

Your hometown?  Osage, Iowa.  Home of the Green Devils. 

Favorite food?  Pizza.   

Favorite hobby?  Being in a sauna.

Favorite inspirational quote?  "Once you have wrestled, everything in life is easy." - Dan Gable.

The thing you most like about the Coulee Region?  The beauty in the bluffs and the sun rises and the sunsets.

Your favorite coaching memory?  All of the NCAA finals matches.

Your favorite memory as a student-athlete?  Winning the match to become an All-America.

Your sports role model?  Russian wrestler Aleksandr Karelin (three-time Olympic Gold medalist).

Favorite book?  Dumb Bunny by Barbara Park.  I read it to my girls and it still makes them laugh today!!!

Favorite emoji?  ??

Favorite vacation spot?  Maui Hawaii.

Favorite song?  Some Kind of Wonderful by Grand Funk Railroad.