MINNEAPOLIS — Jake Short, a University of Minnesota alumnus who has served as a coach for an elite wrestling school for the past three years, will be the next head coach of the Augsburg University women’s wrestling team, the university has announced.
Since 2018, Short has served as a coach at the Pinnacle School of Wrestling, an elite training program based in the Twin Cities. He has served as both a girls’ and boys’ wrestling coach at Pinnacle, a program co-owned by legendary wrestlers Jared Lawrence and Brandon Paulson.
In January 2021, Short was named as the head coach for the Minnesota/USA Wrestling women’s state team, leading its practices and training sessions for tournaments.
“I am both honored and grateful for this opportunity,” Short said. “Augsburg University is well known for its successful reputation in both academics and athletics. I’m thankful to be a part of the Auggie community, and ready to pursue excellence on and off the mat.”
A four-year starter and two-year captain as a middleweight at the University of Minnesota, Short compiled a 99-56 record with the Gophers, with 16 pins, 12 major decisions and three technical falls to his credit. In Big Ten tournament competition, he finished fifth at 157 pounds in 2017, seventh at 157 in 2018, and seventh at 149 in 2016. He was a three-time NCAA national tournament qualifier.
“We’re very excited to have Jake Short join our athletic department coaching staff,” said Augsburg Athletic Director Jeff Swenson. “The Short name is synonymous with great wrestling in Minnesota. Jake is ready for the next step, to be a head wrestling coach at the college level. We look forward to Jake’s leadership in bringing our women’s wrestling program to the next level.”
As a high school wrestler, competing for his father Will Short at Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights, Minn., Jake Short won four Minnesota state tournament titles and placed five times in his six-year varsity career. He had a 237-20 high school record, capping his high school career with an 82-match winning streak. He also competed in football and tennis at Simley. He was a two-time junior national finalist and a cadet freestyle national champion in youth amateur wrestling.
Short replaces Max Mejia, who resigned in March after leading the Auggie women’s wrestling team in its first two years as a varsity program, the lone varsity women’s wrestling program in Minnesota. The Auggies have won three individual national titles and earned 12 All-American honors in their first two seasons, most recently finishing in fifth place as a team at the 2021 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCAA schools).
Check out Auggies Women’s Wrestling at athletics.augsburg.edu.