AMES – Iowa State wrestling head coach, Kevin Dresser, announced an addition to his coaching staff. Former three-time NCAA Qualifier Joey Palmer will join up with the Cyclones as a volunteer assistant coach.
“I am very excited to add this young guy to our staff,” Dresser said of Plamer. “I can speak on behalf of Coach St. John and Coach Metcalf in stating that all three of us have been super impressed with the way the Joey Palmer has made an impact in the short time he has been in Ames. Joey plans to train hard for the upcoming Olympic Trials along with coaching our student athletes. He is coming off a very successful 2019 freestyle season and we hope to assist him in further wrestling success. This is a win-win for all of us.”
The program that Dresser and company are building in Ames is ultimately what lured Palmer into making the decision to come to Ames.
“You look at everywhere Dresser has been, he’s had success,” Palmer said. “Now he’s in Ames with Metcalf, St. John and all the talent they have in that room, and it’s really exciting to see what those guys have done. The state of Iowa and Ames is a great place for me to train and to learn from these coaches.”
Palmer wrestled collegiately at Oregon State (’17) where he was a three-time NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds. After a brief hiatus from competing on the senior level, Palmer competed at the US Open this past April and finished third place at 61 kg. He defeated current World Team Member Tyler Graff and former World Team member Tony Ramos en route to the podium.
Palmer has spent the last two seasons coaching, one year at his alma mater at Oregon State, and one at his high school in Tahoma, Washington.
