Jeff Swenson, who spent 25 seasons as one of the most successful amateur wrestling coaches in the country at Augsburg College, currently serves as the college's athletic director.

He began his duties overseeing the athletic department in 2001, when he was named assistant dean for athletics and recreation. In 2007, as part of a restructuring of the athletic department, Swenson's title was changed to athletic Director.

A 1979 Augsburg graduate, Swenson served as Augsburg's wrestling head coach for 25 seasons (1980-84, 1986-2007), building the squad into a national small-college wrestling powerhouse.

Under Swenson's leadership, Augsburg won a record 10 NCAA Division III national championships and produced a career dual meet record of 321-44 (.879 winning percentage).

Swenson has been part of the Augsburg community for more than 30 years - as a student, athlete, coach and administrator.

He was a national champion wrestler at Augsburg in his senior year of 1979 and finished with a career record of 102-17.

Swenson began his coaching career in his first year out of college, as an assistant coach on John Grygelko's Auggie staff, then was named head coach when Grygelko retired in 1980.

Under Swenson's leadership, Augsburg won 10 NCAA Division III wrestling national titles in a 17-year span, a championship total doubling that of any other Division III school. Augsburg is one of only three NCAA schools to have won 10 or more wrestling national titles. Augsburg also finished second in Division III national competition seven times under Swenson, and finished among the top four teams in national competition 19 seasons in a row - the only NCAA school in any division that could make that claim.

During the tenure as Augsburg's head coach, Swenson coached 158 All-Americans and 39 individual national champions. Since beginning its competition in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 1983 (Augsburg competed in the NAIA prior to 1983), Augsburg won 38 NCAA Division III individual national titles in Swenson's tenure, the most of any Division III school, and had at least one All-American in national wrestling competition (NAIA and NCAA) every season since 1977, at least six All-Americans every year since 1996 and at least five All-Americans every year since 1989.

Augsburg was also a success in the classroom under Swenson's leadership. During his tenure, Augsburg produced 100 National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-Americans. Augsburg also had eight College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-Americans in wrestling during Swenson's tenure. Over the 10 seasons the NWCA awarded Division III academic team national championships while Swenson was head coach, Augsburg finished second three times and first once (1998-99).

Swenson, whose teams also won 20 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team titles, was named MIAC Coach of the Year 13 times and NWCA National Coach of the Year six times (1983, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2007).

Swenson was inducted into the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005, the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association/David Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

In 2000-01, Swenson was named Lutheran College National Coach of the Year (all sports) from Lutheran Brotherhood, and in 2002, he earned National College Coach of the Year honors (all divisions) from Wrestling USA Magazine.

"I am proud to know Jeff Swenson and to be able to honor his remarkable career as our head wrestling coach at Augsburg," said Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow. "He has accomplished great things with his wrestling teams - 10 national championships, countless individual titles, team academic achievements and so on. But perhaps more than anything, I am proud of Jeff's commitment and passion for that individual student who needs the guidance, support and challenge to be the best he or she can be as a athlete, as a student, as a person. Jeff exemplifies what makes Augsburg the special and rare place that it is, putting students first and helping them to grow to be successful, responsible and good people."

As a wrestler at Augsburg from 1975-79, Swenson produced a 102-17 competitive record, earning NAIA All-American honors three times (1977, 1978 and 1979) and winning the national title at 167 pounds in 1979. He earned the school's senior Honor Athlete award in 1979 and was inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

Swenson also served as an assistant coach on the Augsburg football staff for 10 years. During his football coaching tenure, the Auggies won the MIAC championship in 1997 - the Auggies' first football conference title since 1928 - and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III national tournament.

Swenson and his wife, Melissa, live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2005, the couple had their first child, a son, Brady. In 2006, the couple had twin boys, Brett and Ethan, and in 2010, the couple had a girl, Amy.