The annual Lions Club dinner to recognize students for academics, activities and sports will be held at Luigi’s in Kemmerer on May 15. University of Wyoming assistant wrestling coach Ethan Kyle will speak at the event.

Kyle completed his seventh year as an assistant coach with the wrestling program at the University of Wyoming in 2015-16. Kyle is the recruiting coordinator and coaches the lower and middle weights in UW’s program.

He guided Drew Templeman and Bryce Meredith to the NCAA Championships last season and led three Cowboys to All-WWC honors in 2014-15. He also helped mentor senior Tyler Cox to his third NCAA Championship. He guided two Pokes to all-conference finishes at the NCAA West Regional in 2013-14.

Under Kyle’s tutelage, junior Tyler Cox won his first conference crown at 125 pounds, while redshirt freshman Cole Mendenhall was second at 141 pounds. Cox won 29 matches during the year, including a trip to the NCAA Championships, while Mendenhall led all starters with 11 falls. 

Kyle had a great season in 2012-13 with the success of Cox, who was an All-America finisher at 125 pounds. Kyle was instrumental in the success of Cox, who spent much of the season ranked in the top 20 of his weight class and won 35 matches, tied for the best mark on the team. Kyle also coached senior McCade Ford to a Western Wrestling Conference title at 141 pounds, helping UW win its fourth-straight conference title. 

During the 2011-12 campaign, Kyle was a huge part of UW’s place among the nation’s best programs. Wyoming captured a third-straight West Regional team title with four Cowboys standing atop the podium, and continued that success at the NCAA Championships. UW finished 19th overall. Kyle had a great season in 2012-13 with the success of sophomore Tyler Cox, who was an All-America finisher at 125 pounds.

Kyle was instrumental in the success of Cox, who spent much of the season ranked in the top 20 of his weight class and won 35 matches, tied for the best mark on the team. Kyle also coached senior McCade Ford to a Western Wrestling Conference title at 141 pounds, helping UW win its fourth-straight conference title. 

Kyle gained valuable leadership experience by completing the 2014 National Wrestling Coaches Association Leadership Academy, in conjunction with the NWCA National Convention. He also serves as the freestyle and Greco-Roman coach for the Wyoming Wrestling Regional Training Center and has coached more than 10 FILA Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman All-America honorees since 2010. He has trained six athletes to participate in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials and has helped coach and train athletes who made the Senior U.S. National team from 2008-13. 

Kyle wrestled collegiately at 133/141 for the Oklahoma State Cowboys from 2003-07 for then-OSU assistant coach and UW head coach, Mark Branch. He was a member of OSU’s four national championship teams from 2003-06 and was a team captain in 2007 as a senior. Kyle took fourth place at the Big XII tournament as a junior and was an Olympic Team training partner in 2004 at the Olympic Games in Athens.

Excelling in the classroom, he was a four-time member of the Big XII Honor Roll and was the Most Outstanding Wrestling Academics Senior in 2007. He earned his bachelor’s of science degree in physical education from Oklahoma State in 2007 and is currently taking classes at UW towards a master’s degree in kinesiology and health. 

As a prep student-athlete in St. Charles, Mo., at Francis Howell High School he was a three-time Missouri state champion, a high school All-American (Wrestling USA), a Junior National All-American in Greco and a Cadet National All-American, both freestyle and Greco.