Manion Named Next Head Coach of Keiser Wrestling

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Keiser Director of Athletics Kris Swogger announced on Friday the hiring of Cole Manion as the next head coach of the Keiser wrestling program.

Manion becomes the third coach in Keiser wrestling history.

"First off, I want to thank Athletic Director Kris Swogger and his administration staff for believing in me and giving me this opportunity to be at the helm of the Keiser University wrestling program," Manion said. "It's such an honor to be in such a successful athletic department as the one at Keiser University. During my tenure at Life University, I learned so many valuable things about what makes a program successful, and I can't wait to implement them here in West Palm Beach. Together, we will strive for excellence, both on and off the mat, building a legacy of hard work, perseverance, and success."

"We are thrilled to announce Cole as our next wrestling coach," Swogger said. "His passion for the sport combined with his pedigree as both a coach and a student-athlete will be a huge asset for our program moving forward. We are excited for the future of Keiser wrestling."

Manion comes to Keiser after serving as an assistant coach at Life University for the past five years. Last season he guided the Running Eagles to the 2024 NWCA NAIA National Duals Championship as interim head coach. A three-time conference assistant coach of the year (2022, 2023, 2024), Manion has helped Life U win the 2021 NAIA National Championship, four top-3 finishes at the NAIA National Tournament, four top-2 finishes in the NAIA National Duals, five conference regular season championships, and four conference tournament championships. Individually he has helped coach eight national champions, 18 national finalists, 36 all-Americans, 57 national qualifiers, 10 academic all-Americans, and 101 academic all-conference honorees.

Besides his coaching responsibilities, Manion also served as the program's social media coordinator. He coordinates social media and events for the program, creating and managing content for all social media accounts for Life U's wrestling program, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Manion is a FHSA State Placer and 2X High School AA. He finished his academic and athletic career at Grand View University where he was part of two NAIA National Championship-winning teams (2018, 2019). He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing.