Pronunciation
Now a five-time National Coach of the Year, Joe Norton '10/M '12 was hired as the head men's wrestling coach in 2014, serving in that role until 2022. Prior to the 2022-2023 season, he transitioned to the role of Associate Head Men’s Wrestling Coach while serving as the College's head coach of the women's wrestling program. During his time at the helm of the men's program, the Cardinals went 84-39 in dual meets (53-12 over the final 5 seasons), won 34 straight conference duals, garnered 28 NWCA Scholar All-Americans, 29 individual CCIW champions, 31 NCAA Division III National Qualifiers, 19 All-Americans, two NCAA Division III National Champions, and led North Central to their highest finish in program history with a third-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. That season, the squad reached No. 1 in the National Rankings for the first time ever.
On May 8, 2018, Norton was officially introduced as the first head coach of the North Central women's wrestling program, which began competing during the 2019-2020 season. In the first seven years of the program, Norton has led the Cardinals to 75 dual meet wins, 71 All-Americans, 97 NWCA Scholar All-American honors, 9 individual national championships, a Team National Championship in 2023 and a National Duals Championship in 2026. The 2026 team handed the University of Iowa its first, and only, dual meet loss in program history in the semifinals of the NWCA National Duals in 2026. The Cardinals went on to defeat eventual NCAA Champion McKendree University in the finals to earn the program’s first-ever National Duals Championship.
Norton helped coach Yelena Makoyed to a 106-6 career record with three National Titles, five collegiate All-American awards, the 2024 U23 World Championship, and the first-ever USA Wrestling Women's College Wrestler of the Year in 2023. On the men's side, Norton helped coach Robbie Precin to a 141-4 career record, and two undefeated National Championships, five All-American awards, five CCIW Championships, and four Regional Championships while posting a 92-match winning streak, the ninth best in NCAA history across all divisions. Christian Guzman was a four-time All-American at 125 pounds and the undefeated National Champion in 2026.
On the USA Wrestling circuit, Norton and his staff put five wrestlers on the USA Senior National Team in 2025, more than any other college program in the country. The team saw women make USA Wrestling World Teams in 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 and Pan-Am teams in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026, winning multiple medals across these events. Amanda Martinez twice qualified for Final X, made four Senior National Teams, won the 2026 Senior Pan-American Championship, and currently ranks 7th in the world at 57kg.
Norton won the NWCA NCAA Women's Coach of the National Tournament in 2022, 2023, and 2025, and the NWCA NCAA Women’s National Coach of the Year in 2024 and 2026. He is a five-time Regional Coach of the Year and six-time CCIW Coach of the Year.
He currently serves on the NCAA Division III Women’s Wrestling Committee and is the President of the NCAA Women’s Coaching Leadership Group.
Men's
- Nine-year dual meet record of 84-39 (53-12 since 2017)
- 34 Consecutive CCIW Dual Meet Wins
- 2018 and 2019 CCIW Team Championships
- 2022 CCIW Dual Meet Champions
- 17 Division III All-American Awards
- 18 Division III NCAA Qualifiers
- 23 Individual CCIW Championships
- Two National Champions
- 25 NWCA Scholar All-American Awards
Women's
- 2023 NCWWC National Champions
- 2026 NWCA National Duals Champions
- 9 Individual National Titles
- 9-year dual meet record of 75-14
- 71 All-Americans
- 97 NWCA Scholar All-Americans
- Team placed 2nd at Nationals in 2024 and 2025
- Team placed 3rd at Nationals in 2026
- Team placed 4th at Nationals in 2022
- Regionals Team Champions in 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026
- CCIW Coach of the Year
- Men's - 2018, 2019
- Women's - 2023, 2024, 2056 and 2026
- NWCA NCAA Lower Midwest Region Coach of the Year
- NWCA Women's Coach of the National Tournament
- NWCA NCAA Women's Regional Coach of the Year
- 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2026
- NCAA Division III Regional Coaching Staff of the Year
- Inducted into the Montini Catholic High School Hall of Fame in 2022
- Member of three state championship teams at Montini Catholic High School
- Earned All-State and All-America honors individually as a senior
- Four-year member of North Central wrestling program, contributing to three straight CCIW team championships
- Placed at regional championships all four years at 125 pounds, including third-place showing in 2009
- Earned North Central Senior Influence Award and CCIW Merle Chapman Leadership Award in 2010
- Graduated from North Central with bachelor's degree in print journalism (2010) and master's degree in sports leadership (2012)
