UW-Platteville names Mulder first head coach

Emma Mulder has helped build a women’s wrestling program before. Now she gets to build one of her own.

Mulder has been named the first head coach of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville women’s wrestling program, Director of Athletics and Recreation Sam Koenig announced Tuesday. Her first day on the job is Monday, Oct. 26, just over a year before the Pioneers compete for the first time in the fall of 2027.

“Emma Mulder is the right leader to pioneer women’s wrestling at UW-Platteville and build this program from the ground up,” said Koenig. “I’m confident she will attract outstanding student-athletes and make UW-Platteville a destination for women who want to compete and develop at the highest level.”

Mulder arrives from Simpson College, where she spent more than three seasons on the staff of head coach Jeff McGinness. She was an assistant coach for two seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in 2025.

The Storm became one of the top NCAA Division III programs in the country during her time in Indianola, Iowa. Simpson finished runner-up at the 2026 Division III National Duals and placed 17th at the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships last March in Coralville, Iowa. Annelise Obermark earned All-America honors with a fifth-place finish at 145 pounds, while Keeley Kehrli placed seventh at 160 pounds.

During Mulder’s stint at Simpson, the Storm produced 11 national qualifiers, 10 Scholar All-Americans, six World Team All-Americans and a Pan American gold medalist. Mulder also served as USA Wrestling’s National Team Iowa head coach for the 2026 season.

A native of Chariton, Iowa, Mulder was part of the first women’s wrestling recruiting class at Grand View University. She went on to become a two-time NAIA All-American and a Junior National Team All-American. In 2022, she won the 101-pound title at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championships and was named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler. She was also a two-time Scholar All-American.

Mulder earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Grand View and is working toward a master’s degree in positive coaching and athletic leadership from the University of Missouri.

Mulder said the people at UW-Platteville stood out to her throughout the hiring process.

“There’s an energy at UW-Platteville that’s hard to put into words, but it’s something I felt right away, and I can’t wait to be a part of it,” said Mulder. “I truly believe that together, we have the opportunity to do more than simply establish a program. We can build a team that competes with the best, develops outstanding student-athletes and creates a tradition of success that the university and community can be proud of.”