Wartburg College Athletics

Eric Keller is 247-13 in his 15 years as head coach at Wartburg College and one year at North Central College. Keller was named the Conference Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, the NWCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2015, 2018, 2023, and 2025 and the d3wrestle.com National Coach of the Year in 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2018. Under Keller, the Knights have earned nine NCAA National Championships, nine NWCA National Dual Championships and 13 Iowa Conference/American Rivers Conference Championships.

In October 2021, Keller was promoted to Director of Wrestling as Wartburg announced the addition of Women's Wrestling for the 2022-23 season. 

The Knights made NCAA Division III wrestling history by winning their fourth-consecutive NCAA National Championship in 2014 and their record-setting 16th in 2025. The Orange and Black have won 10 out of the last 15 NCAA Championships.  

The 2008-09 National Wrestling Coaches Association's Division III Assistant Coach of the Year, returned to the program in 2006-07 as the associate head coach. He was named a co-head coach of the program in March of 2010.

Keller's previous background at Wartburg includes being an assistant from 2000-05, being part of five consecutive Iowa Conference championships and NCAA Division III national championships in 2003 and 2004.

Leading North Central College of Naperville, Ill.'s program prior to returning to Waverly, he helped guide a turnaround for the Cardinals as they had their best collegiate wrestling season to date (7-0), gaining three All-Americans and going through a dual season with a perfect record. Keller was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Rookie Coach of the Year at the 2006 national tournament.
 
Keller earned his degree in health and physical education from the University of Northern Iowa in 1999. He was an NCAA All-American and Academic All-American for the Panthers and also added world team trials qualifier, and UNI team captain (1998-99) honors to his competitive resume. He was also a two-time Iowa state champion and four-time place winner compiling a 161-10-1 record in the high school ranks.

He and his wife, Valarie (Drees '02), and sons, Kane and Kruz, and daughter Kora, reside in Janesville.

Under Keller:
Conference MVPs: 17
Regional Champions: 48
All-Americans: 83
National Champions: 21