UW-La Crosse Wrestling
Coaching Staff

Derek Fuglsang
Head Assistant Coach

Derek Fuglsang begins his fifth year as an assistant coach at UW-La Crosse in 2011-12, his fourth as the Eagles' head assistant coach.  He has coached five NCAA Division III All-Americans and two national champions for the Eagles.

He graduated from Coe College (Iowa) in 2007.  A native of Maquoketa, Iowa, Fuglsang was a two-time Academic All-America selection at Coe.  He finished with 77 wins for the Kohawks and was a two-year team captain.

Fuglsang earned his master's degree in from UW-La Crosse in 2008 in physical/health education and elementary education with a reading and coaching endorsement.  He is currently teaching kindergarten at Lawrence Lawson Elementary in Sparta, Wisconsin.

Ross Needham
Assistant Coach

Ross Needham begins his second season as an assistant coach at UW-La Crosse in 2011-12.  He came to UW-L after serving as the head wrestling coach at Holmen (Wis.) High School from 2007-10.  The Vikings went 30-11 in duals under Needham and advanced to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Tournament in 2010.  Holmen had eight state qualifiers during Needham’s tenure. 

He continues to teach eighth grade math at Holmen Middle School and coach middle school football.

A 2007 graduate of UW-L with a bachelor’s degree in elementary and middle level education and minor in mathematics, Needham earned two National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III All-America wrestling honors for the Eagles.  He placed third in 2006 and fourth in 2007 at 157-pounds.  Needham was also a national qualifier in 2005. 

He won three 157-pound titles at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) championships (2005, 2006, 2007) and finished his career with a record of 109-41.  Needham is tied for 12th in school history in victories.

Named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Academic All-America Team four times (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), Needham was a state champion at Marshfield (Wis.) High School.

Josh Zabel
Assistant Coach

Josh Zabel begins his third year as a student assistant coach at UW-La Crosse in 2011-12.  He is pursuing his master's degree in sports administration.

A four-year letter winner at UW-L, Zabel ranks fourth in career victories with a record of 136-42.  He finished 43-6 in 2008-09 and earned his second career NCAA Division III All-America honor with a third-place finish at 184-pounds.  Zabel was fifth at 184-pounds at the 2008 national championships to pick up his first career All-America recognition.

A native of Rochester, Minnesota, Zabel captured the 184-pound title at the 2008 and 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Championships.

He was also a two-time selection to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-America Team (2008, 2009).

Josh Passe
Assistant Coach

Josh Passe begins his third year as a student assistant coach at UW-La Crosse in 2011-12.

A four-year letter winner for the Eagles, Passe compiled a career record of 28-35 while wrestling at 184 and 197-pounds.

He went 8-10 at 197-pounds as a senior in 2006-07.

Nate Clements
Assistant Coach