Two Coaches Honored in NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association HOF
Charlotte, NC – The NJCAA has announced two coaches to be inducted into the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Read below for more on Joe Renfro and Josh Rhoden.
Joe Renfro | Coach | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College
Joe Renfro is currently the Head Wrestling Coach and Athletic Director at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. In his first year at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Renfro set a record with his 2013-14 team by leading the Norsemen to the program's first NJCAA Wrestling Championship title after had been suspended for 22 years. With an overall record of 236-46-4, Renfro has led the Norsemen to win 17 NJCAA District Championships, have 14 top-three finishes in the national tournament, and won six NJCAA Wrestling Championship team national titles. With a coaching career that spans 21 years, Renfro has never had a team finish below seventh at the national tournament.
Renfro has coached 135 All-Americans with 39 wrestlers in the national finals and 22 individual national champions. He has been voted the NJCAA National Coach of the Year seven times and NJCAA District Coach of the Year 12 times. He also actively serves the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association as President.
At Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, Renfro and his team serve the campus and community through their involvement in campus activities and community service. Ranging from working at athletic events, moving housing furniture on campus, and assisting the elderly community, Renfro and his wrestling team are known on campus and in the community as leaders in service.
Josh Rhoden | Student-Athlete, Coach | Clackamas Community College (OR)
Josh Rhoden attended Clackamas Community College as a student-athlete from 1998-2001. After graduating and moving on to Pacific University to earn his bachelor's and master's degrees, Rhoden made his way back to Clackamas. Taking over as head coach in 2006, Rhoden led the Cougars to a fifth-place finish at the NJCAA Wrestling Championship, the first top-five finish for the program in 10 years.
Under his leadership, the Cougars had a historic run of winning four straight NJCAA NJCAA Wrestling Championship titles, 10 West Region Championships, eight National Dual Meet Championships, and two runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2018. With an overall record of 169-36-2, Rhoden has coached 148 National Qualifiers, 101 All-Americans, and 33 National Finalists with 154 Academic All-Americans. For his efforts at Clackamas, Rhoden has been named NJCAA Coach of the Year four times and was the 2015 NJCAA Man of the Year.
Beyond coaching national champions, Rhoden is known for his efforts in developing his student-athletes. At Clackamas, he strove to build an environment to help the young men he worked with grow and mature into high-character individuals who would succeed on and off the mat. Rhoden now serves as the assistant coach of the Oregon State University wrestling team.
