Dakota Bauer completed his third season (fourth year) on the Kutztown University wrestling coaching staff in 2021-22. After spending the 2018-19 season as a graduate assistant, Bauer was elevated to assistant coach prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
In Bauer’s first year, he helped the Golden Bears to their best season in program history with a 14-1 dual record, share of the PSAC Division II Dual Championship and a top-10 finish at the NCAA DII Championships. In total, Kutztown produced a 34-7 dual record and eclipsed double-digit victories each season with Bauer on staff.
Bauer worked with six All-Americans, 10 NCAA DII Championships qualifiers, nine Super Region 1 champions and 2019 NCAA DII heavyweight national champion Andrew Dunn Jr.
Bauer began his collegiate wrestling career at Division I Iowa State University, climbing as high as No. 18 in the 133-pound national rankings for the Cyclones as a redshirt freshman.
The Iowa City, Iowa, native finished his collegiate career at Maryville University, where he claimed a pair of All-America finishes at the NCAA DII Championships. Bauer placed fourth at nationals as a senior in 2016 and fifth as a junior the year prior. His 61 career victories at Maryville ranked among the top 10 in program history. In Bauer's two All-America campaigns, the Saints won super region titles while securing third- and fourth-place team finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Bauer wrestled scholastically for Iowa City West High School and had a 188-10 career record. He won a pair of state championships and reached the state final on three occasions. A four-time state placewinner, Bauer finished his high school career ranked in the top five in the country with a Fargo All-America award, and was named to the 2012 USA Wrestling High School All-America Team.
Bauer graduated from Maryville in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in marketing. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from Kutztown in 2020.
Updated 8/8/22
