Under Clemsen, the Maryland wrestling program has reached its highest levels in the past decade.
During the 2023-24 season, Clemsen led the Terps to multiple wins in the Big Ten slate for the first time since joining the conference. Additionally, in front of a home crowd in the XFINITY Center in College Park, the Terps set programs records at the Big Ten Championships in points (39), finish (10th) and placer (four). Maryland also had five NCAA qualifiers for back-to-back years and finished with 8.5 team points, its most since 2019. Additionally, two Maryland wrestlers (Kal Miller and Tommy Capul) earned NWCA Scholar All-American honors, the highest total under Clemsen. Miller also earned the distinction in 2023.
The 2022-23 campaign was, at the time, the most successful season in recent memory, as Maryland finished with a 10-9 record, the most dual wins since the 2012-13 season. Clemsen's squad also produced five 2023 NCAA Qualifiers (
Braxton Brown,
Ethen Miller,
Kal Miller,
Jaron Smith and
Jaxon Smith), for the highest number since 2014. All five guys remained in competition on the second day of tournament action, the most since 2010. Additionally,
Jaxon Smith, one of Clemsen's key recruiting pieces in 2021, finished in third place at 197 pounds at the 2023 Big Ten Championships, the highest finish for a Maryland wrestler since 2019.
On November 18, 2022, Maryland defeated No. 16 Pittsburgh to earn the program's first ranked win since 2013. In the days following that victory, the Terps entered the NWCA Poll for the first time since 2013. The program also picked up its first Big Ten win since 2016 in a 19-18 win over Purdue as well as its first victory over the storied Oklahoma Sooners in program history.
Regarded as an elite recruiter, Clemsen has lived up to that billing during his four seasons in College Park, highlighted by bringing in the eighth-ranked 2021 recruiting class, led by Brown,
Jaxon Smith and
Ethen Miller.
Clemsen comes to College Park following a successful five-year tenure at Missouri, where he served as the program's associate head coach for the last four seasons. During his time on staff, Clemsen helped Missouri wrestlers earn three NCAA individual titles, 22 All-America honors and five consecutive top-six team finishes at the NCAA Championships. Missouri teams went a combined 84-7 in dual meets during his time on staff there.
Clemsen played a pivotal role in developing nine NCAA qualifiers this past season, which included four earning All-American honors. The Tigers also saw six wrestlers win MAC individual titles on the way to their eighth consecutive team title.
In 2017-18, Clemsen helped guide Missouri to a seventh straight conference title and fourth straight NCAA top-6 finish. Seven Tigers won individual conference titles at the MAC Championships, which was good for most in program history.
The 2016-17 season for Missouri was headlined by the third consecutive NCAA title for J'den Cox, who became the first wrestler in program history to reach the top of the podium three times. In that same season the Tigers tallied five All-Americans, which was tied for the most in program history.
In 2015-16, Missouri repeated as MAC Champions and sent nine wrestlers through to the NCAA Championships. The team finished sixth in the country at the national tournament and had a National Champion for the third consecutive season.
In his inaugural season at Missouri, Clemsen played a key role in the development of 149-pounder Drake Houdashelt, who went on to win a title at the NCAA Championships. In all, the Tigers sent all 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships and claimed a fourth-place overall finish.
Known as an elite recruiter, Clemsen helped assemble three top-10 recruiting classes and five top-20 recruiting classes during his career.
Clemsen brought with him a tradition of success upon his arrival at Missouri, as he has coached 38 NCAA qualifiers, six All-Americans and eight ACC Champions at Virginia. He helped the program reach No. 11 in the nation during the 2012-13 season, which stands as a program-best ranking.
In his first season with the Cavaliers, Clemsen helped lead the team to its first ACC Championship since 1977. The team went on to earn a 15th-place finish at the NCAA Championships to clinch its second consecutive top-25 finish at the event.
Clemsen was also instrumental in developing student-athletes off the mat during his time in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers recorded the fifth-best team GPA in the country during the 2012-13 season, and eight Cavaliers were named to the NWCA All-Academic Team as well.
Prior to his time at Virginia, Clemsen served as the director of wrestling operations at Oregon State for two seasons.
A 2007 graduate of Edinboro, Clemsen was an All-American wrestler and four-time NCAA qualifier. He finished his career with a 121-35 record, good for ninth in the school's history. He was the 14th wrestler in program history to win four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championships, and he was also named an Eastern Wrestling League Champion.
A two-time Academic All-American, Clemsen graduated with the highest GPA of any wrestler in Edinboro history. He continued his career at the international level as a University Nationals All-American and a University World Team Trials runner-up.
Clemsen was a standout wrestler at Moberly Senior High School, winning three Missouri State Championship titles during his high school career. Clemsen and his wife, Lindsay, have two children: a daughter, Payten and a son, Porter.
Updated August 13, 2025