Ryan Ludwig Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 5th Season Alma Mater: Findlay, 2000

Ryan Ludwig is entering his fifth year as Northern Illinois' top assistant coach. In addition to assisting head coach Dave Grant with the daily operations of the program, Ludwig also leads Northern Illinois' recruiting. Grant recognized Ludwig's efforts and his impact on the program by promoting him to the position of associate head coach last spring.

At NIU, Ludwig has played a key role in training 13 NCAA qualifiers, six Mid-American Conference champions and one Midlands champion. Ludwig has also been a driving force in bringing top talent to NIU.

Year in and year out, the NIU recruiting classes have been ranked among the best in the nation. The 2007 recruiting class was rated as high as 20th nationally, while the 2008 class boasted an outstanding blend of in-state and national talent and featured six high school All-Americans, 10 state champions and one Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winner.

His initial recruiting effort brought athletes with outstanding credentials to DeKalb as well. The 2006 recruiting class included four high school All-Americans. In 2007, the newcomers recruited by the coaching staff combined for six state titles, and included four all-Americans.

"Ryan has a relentless work ethic and an outstanding knowledge of the sport of wrestling. He has excellent leadership qualities and is a role model to our student-athletes. His recruiting efforts have advanced the program to a new level," Grant said.

Ludwig came to Northern Illinois after spending two seasons as an assistant at Minnesota State University-Mankato. While coaching the Mavericks, Ludwig guided the team to a third-place finish in the NCAA Division II Championships. He also helped produce and train eight All-Americans.

Prior to his work with the Mavericks, Ludwig served as an assistant wrestling coach for his alma mater, the University of Findlay, where he coached seven All-Americans and a national champion.

As a wrestler, Ludwig was a three-time NAIA All-American and a national finalist. Elected a captain by his teammates, he was also voted Most Valuable Wrestler when the Roughnecks were NAIA national runners-up in 1999. Ludwig ranks third on Findlay's all-time win list with over 100 career victories. In high school, Ludwig also captured a Michigan state title at 142 pounds in 1995.

Ludwig, a native of Chelsea, Mich., earned a bachelor of arts degree in 2000 from Findlay as a double major in psychology and criminal justice. He is completing work on a master's degree in sports administration from MSU-Mankato.