SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska Athletics has appointed Isaiah Crosby as the Bulldogs’ next Head Wrestling Coach. Crosby becomes the 14th head coach in the history of the program, as announced by Concordia Athletics on Tuesday (April 21). Crosby spent the previous two seasons as the top assistant for the Bulldog Wrestling Program. Crosby takes over for former Head Coach Josh Watts, who resigned his position.
A native of Miami, Fla., Crosby aims to continue the upward trajectory of Concordia Wrestling, which placed second in the GPAC this past season and has recorded back-to-back NAIA top 20 finishes. Crosby has prepared himself for the opportunity to become a head coach.
Said Crosby, “First, thank you God for putting me in this position to lead this group of men not only as wrestlers but as Christians who aspire to grow in their faith. Thanks to Coach Watts for taking a chance on me as a wrestler and as an assistant coach. Thanks also to my friends and family for supporting me throughout this entire journey. A special thank you goes to my wife Sarah for being by my side and keeping me level-headed. I’m very thankful to all the coaches and mentors I’ve had in my life.
“It’s time to take all that I’ve learned, use it and do the best that I can and see where I can take the program. I’m very excited and very grateful to our administration for this opportunity. I want to coach young men who are hungry to wrestle and hungry to grow academically and in their spirituality.”
Director of Athletics Devin Smith shared his enthusiasm about the hiring of Isaiah Crosby. Stated Smith, “Our athletic leadership team has seen Coach Crosby clearly embody what it means to be a mission fit for Concordia University, Nebraska, and Bulldog Athletics. He is deeply respected by our student-athletes and staff for his welcoming spirit, contagious energy and unwavering commitment to living out his Christian faith. Coach Crosby is dedicated to excellence in every aspect of his life, and we are confident he will build upon the strong foundation already in place within our wrestling program. With the resources and support to compete for conference championships and national prominence, the future of Bulldog Wrestling is incredibly bright under Crosby’s leadership. We are excited to partner with Coach Crosby as we pursue even greater success together.”
Prior to his two seasons as Concordia’s lead assistant, Crosby served as Associate Head Wrestling Coach at Iowa Western Community College. Over the past two years, Crosby has worked closely with All-Americans Creighton Baughman and Hagen Heistand while aiding in the program qualifying a combined 17 wrestlers for the NAIA National Championships. The 2025-26 team placed second in both the GPAC in the regular season and in the postseason tournament and claimed 20th at the national tournament. The results led to a GPAC Coach of the Year award for Watts.
Crosby’s successful transition to the coaching profession followed an impressive career as a student-athlete. He won two NJCAA national championships (157 / 165 pounds) at Iowa Western before transferring to Oregon State University, where he competed for three seasons (2021-24) for Head Coach Chris Pendleton. Crosby placed third at the Pac 12 Championships in 2023 and was part of a conference championship team that season.
Isaiah is married to Sarah Crosby. He is the son of Mary and Alfanzo Crosby and has nine siblings. Isaiah earned a bachelor's degree from Oregon State in Human Development and Family Sciences. He also acquired an associate’s degree from Iowa Western.
