Carthage College Athletics

Jake Calhoun was introduced as the head women's wrestling coach on June 22, 2022 after spending a year as a graduate assistant Wrestling Coach for both the men's and women's Carthage College varsity wrestling teams. He comes to Carthage with 12 years of NCAA Division III coaching experience, as well as experience competing at the collegiate and national/international levels.

Calhoun joined the Firebirds coaching staff after previously working at Lakeland University (WI) as their men's and women's Head Wrestling Coach. He coached four All-American accolades while at Lakeland. Before this, returning to where he graduated, he coached for three years as an assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He coached five All-Americans, including a 2-time NCAA National Champion in his tenure at his alma mater with the Pointers. 

Jake also coached at Messiah College (PA), Muhlenberg College (PA), State University of New York-Cortland, and Gettysburg College (PA), including one year as Head Coach at Muhlenberg, where he took over a team with just four wrestlers. Saving the program, Calhoun built up the team’s roster numbers quickly, filling the lineup for the first time in years. He also served as a strength & conditioning coach at Muhlenberg. He collectively coached 12 All-Americans, including 2 NCAA National Champions, while in PA and NY, finishing as the fourth place NCAA National Duals team at Cortland in 2013 and the NCAA National runner-up team at Messiah in 2016. Jake was a volunteer coach at his alma mater to begin his collegiate coaching career before moving to the east coast. 

Calhoun competed on varsity for UWSP all four years of his collegiate eligibility, making it to the NCAA National Championships in 2007 and 2008. He was a team captain and a two-time Coach's Award winner in college. He also was awarded a spot on the WIAC All-Sportsmanship team for his conference. Jake was a three-time All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree and WIAC Conference Champion at 125 lbs in 2007, and after competing in college he also continued his career on the national/international level. He reached University Level All-American status in Greco-Roman wrestling and wrestled in the World Team Trials in 2013 for a spot on the World Team. He also qualified to compete in the 2014 World Team Trials.

Calhoun received his bachelor's degree from UWSP in physical education with a health education minor and an emphasis in adventure and outdoor education. He also earned his master’s in recreational education with a focus in environmental education from Cortland State and a second master's degree in Business in Sports Management from Carthage in 2022. 

Jake is a native of Stevens Point, WI, and a graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH), where he was a WIAA Div. I State place-winner and finished with school records in wins and pins. He was also a high school state place-winner in Freestyle wrestling. Calhoun was a team captain and also earned the team's Most Valuable Wrestler award at his high school. 

Calhoun became an ordained minister in 2021 and marries people of all backgrounds and religions. Lord Jake Calhoun was given the honor of "Lord" status in Scotland in 2021. Jake currently lives with his wife, Chasidy, and two dogs, Juneau and Khaleesi, a black lab and a miniature Australian shepherd.