Rob Hjerling, the 2004 Southern Conference Coach of the Year and a 1994 graduate of American University, enters his 13th season as head coach of The Citadel’s wrestling program.

Hjerling has an overall record of 95-96-4 and a combined 64-51-1 over the last eight seasons.  After going 2-11-2 and 1-4 in the SoCon (fifth of six) his first season, Hjerling boosted the Bulldogs to 13-3 and 5-0 in the SoCon (first of six) in 2004.

One of the best individual seasons in school history came about in 2011 as Hjerling oversaw Turtogtokh Luvsandorj become the highest ranked wrestler in program history. The sophomore ascended into the top-10 in all major national polls, returned to the NCAA Championships for a second consecutive season and earned SoCon Wrestler of the Year honors. The schedule featured 20 duals and a grueling early season slate as the Bulldogs went 8-12 overall and finished third in the conference at 3-2. Highlighting the season was a second place finish for The Citadel at the 17th annual All-Academy Championships, which took place in Charleston, as a pair of Bulldogs earned titles in Luvsandorj and Kelby Smith. The Bulldogs took fourth place at the SoCon Championships in Boone, N.C. and placed six wrestlers.

The 2010 season saw the Bulldogs start out slowly, but finish strong as they won eight of their final 10 dual meets of the season to finish at 9-6 overall and 2-3 in the SoCon with wins over Davidson and VMI. The late surge also propelled them to a second place finish at the SoCon Championships at Davidson, their highest finish since the 2005 season. Returning NCAA qualifier and SoCon champion Odie Delaney moved up to heavyweight and once again returned to the NCAA Championships after winning the SoCon title. True freshman Turtogtokh Luvsandorj finished the season on fire and rode it to a SoCon title at 157 pounds and a spot at the NCAA Championships.

In 2009, Hjerling helped The Citadel turn the corner, posting a 9-6-1 dual meet record and a 3-2 SoCon record. The Bulldogs defeated VMI, Appalachian State and Davidson in conference play and participated in several nationally recognized tournaments. The Bulldogs placed fourth at the Southern Conference championships held at McAlister Field House and featured seven individual placers, including freshman Odie Delaney who captured the 197-pound weight class title. Delaney became the second true freshman at The Citadel to qualify for the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

The Bulldogs made strides in 2008, besting their record from the two previous seasons along with bringing in a top recruiting class.  The Citadel secured big conference wins against VMI and Davidson.  Hjerling led the Bulldogs to some of the most prestigious tournaments in college wrestling today, affording the young team the opportunity to gain valuable experience competing against the nation’s top competition.  The team placed fourth in the Southern Conference Championships with six individual placers.

In 2007, the Bulldogs had a nationally-ranked athlete in Travis Piccard, who was invited to the All-Star Classic.  The Citadel was led by experience and future prospects.  The Bulldog lineup ran the gamut from true freshmen to redshirt seniors.  This was a transition year for the team as they gained experience and grew stronger as cadet-student-athletes.  The squad placed fourth at the Southern Conference Tournament with six placers.

Hjerling guided the 2006 squad to a historical season as Dan Thompson became the first All-American wrestler in Bulldog history by placing seventh at 165 pounds at the NCAA Championships. Thompson also won the Southern Conference Championship at 165 pounds and six other Bulldogs placed to help The Citadel to a third place finish in the conference. Sean Markey joined Thompson at the NCAA Championships at 141 pounds after earning an at-large bid by finishing second in the SoCon and being named the SoCon Wrestler of the Year.

The 2005 season saw the squad place second in the SoCon and three wrestlers sent to the NCAA tournament to mark the sixth time in six seasons that the Bulldogs sent wrestlers to the National Championships and the fifth season with multiple qualifiers.  They also had five other wrestlers earn spots on the podium.

In 2004, the Bulldogs matched their highest ever winning percentage with a record of 13-3 (.813) on their way to the school’s first SoCon wrestling championship since 1967. Hjerling’s grapplers included four individual conference champions in Ryan McClester (125), Dan Thompson (157), Keith Clifton (174) and Billy Linane (HWT), all earning automatic bids to the NCAA Championship, while Sean Markey (133) earned one of the leagues at-large bids to bring the total number of Bulldogs in the NCAA’s to five. McClester was named the SoCon Wrestler of the Year.

Hjerling directed the third place 2003 squad to the highest winning percentage, .813, in school history.  The Hjerling-led group saw two members, Keith Clifton (184) and Billy Linane (HWT), win SoCon championships, while six others grappled to finish in the top three in the SoCon.  With two conference champs and three runners-up, the Bulldogs sent four members of the 2003 team to the NCAA championships in Kansas City.

The 2003 squad also saw two grapplers make their way into the national rankings.  The 133-pound Sean Markey finished the season ranked as high as 18th nationally by The Wrestling Mall, while 149-pound Travis Piccard saw his name make it to 19th late in the season by the same publication. The Bulldogs finished that season with a mark of 13-3.

In 2002, the Bulldogs entered numerous tournaments with NCAA powerhouses and also wrestled dual meets versus Top 25 teams.  Hjerling led The Citadel to scoring the most points since the SoCon’s 1967 Championship Team and best dual meet record since 1991 at 10-7.  The Bulldogs had seven conference placers, five finalists, one SoCon champion and one NCAA qualifier.

In 2001, there were six conference placers, two conference finalists, one SoCon champion and two NCAA qualifiers.  The team was ranked 16th in the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Academic Top 25.

During his first season (‘99-‘00) Hjerling had four conference placers, one conference finalist and one NCAA qualifier.  The level of competition drastically increased with him at the helm.  The team managed to go 5-15 and 2-3 SoCon (fourth of six).  
    
Hjerling came to The Citadel after spending the 1998-99 season as an assistant coach at George Mason University, where he helped the Patriots to a runner-up finish in the Colonial Athletic Association while coaching four NCAA qualifiers.  Following Hjerling’s departure, George Mason had one of their best seasons yet, showing the superb recruiting that had been done during Hjerling’s time there.  

He spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at American University. Hjerling coached five NCAA qualifiers during those two seasons.  He got his start in coaching at Manheim Township High School in Lancaster, Pa., spending the 1995-96 campaign as an assistant coach.
    
As a senior at American University, Hjerling posted a 28-4 overall record.  In addition, the Lancaster, Pa. native captured the Colonial Athletic Association’s 158-pound weight class championship, garnered CAA Most Outstanding Wrestler honors and earned a berth in the NCAA Championships.  He completed his wrestling career with 69 victories.
    
Hjerling is married to the former Megan Hoban of Cleveland, Ohio. The couple has three sons, Séamus, Liam and Fintan.

Jeff Ragan, a former All-American at Oklahoma State, is in his 12th season as an assistant wrestling coach at The Citadel and enters his third season as associate head coach.

Under the assistance of Ragan, the Bulldogs crowned their first All-American in Dan Thompson, and have stood at the top of the Southern Conference podium as champions.  Ragan brings the technical knowledge and skill to the practice room on a daily basis as he helps train the Bulldogs' smaller weights.

Ragan has helped the Bulldogs excel on the mat and in the classroom.  As an adjunct professor and as a coach, he aides the team in turning out high quality cadet-student-athletes at The Citadel. 

Ragan graduated from Oklahoma State in May of 2000 with a bachelor of science degree in mathematics. A four-year letterman in wrestling, Ragan was a member of three Big XII Conference championship teams while posting an overall record of 101-43. As a senior, the Englewood, Fla. native won 31 matches and captured the Big XII Conference individual crown in the 125-pound weight class and finished sixth at the NCAA Championships to earn All-America honors.

A four-time Big XII All-Academic Team selection, Ragan was named the Oklahoma State Male Student-Athlete-of-the-Year in 2000 and was tabbed to the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Academic All-America team. In addition, he became the 19th wrestler in Oklahoma State history to register over 100 career victories.

Ragan also was a four-time freestyle All-American.  In 1998 he captured a Freestyle Espior National Champion title and became a Junior World Team member, where he placed in the top 10. 

As a prep star, Ragan posted a 103-5 overall record at Lemon Bay High School, making three finalist appearances and winning a pair of Florida state championships, while earning Outstanding Wrestler honors as a junior and senior.

Ragan finished graduate school at The Citadel in December of 2002 and also works as an adjunct professor in The Citadel's mathematics department.  He is married to the former Andrea Denise Clark. The couple has a daughter, Allie, and a son, Jacob.

Keegan Mueller enters his second season as a graduate assistant coach for The Citadel Wrestling program.

Mueller was a two-time all-conference selection at North Carolina, where he graduated in 2009. He won the ACC title in 2009 and served as the team captain for the Tar Heels in both his junior and senior seasons. In addition, he received the 2007-2008 Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award at UNC.

The Dallas, Texas native has also spent time working at Fortune Magazine and working as a District Sales Manager for Automatic Data Processing Magazine.

Keegan is currently pursuing a degree in business administration in The Citadel Graduate College and resides in West Ashley.

TBA