Joe McFarland retired in 2018 after 19 years at the helm of the Michigan wrestling program.

Under his leadership, the Wolverines claimed three Big Ten dual titles (2004, '05, '06) and earned 11 top-10 NCAA finishes, including an NCAA runner-up performance in 2005 and a fourth-place finish in his final season in 2018. He compiled a 214-105-6 record, ranking third among Michigan's winningest coaches behind legendary head coach Cliff Keen (274, 1926-42, '46-70) and his own collegiate coach, Dale Bahr (221, 1979-99).

McFarland led 31 different student-athletes to five NCAA individual titles, 60 All-America citations and 19 Big Ten individual crowns. Among McFarland's most decorated pupils were two-time NCAA champion and four-time Big Ten champion Kellen Russell (2008-09, '11-12), two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American Ryan Bertin (2002-05), NCAA champion and three-time All-American Steve Luke (2006-09) and four-time All-American Eric Tannenbaum (2005-08).

As a Wolverine wrestler (1981-82, '84-85), McFarland was himself a four-time NCAA All-American and a two-time NCAA finalist at 126 pounds (1984, '85). He finished fifth (1981) and sixth (1982) in his first two national championship appearances. Serving as team captain in each of his final two seasons, McFarland helped lead the Wolverines to a fifth-place finish at the 1985 NCAA Championships.

His 166-24-4 career record ranks third only to John Fisher (183 wins) and Otto Olson (175), while his 48 wins during the 1983-84 season are the most recorded by a Michigan wrestler in a single season. He won the Big Ten crown in 1984 and reached the conference final all four seasons. McFarland also won the prestigious Midlands Championship in 1982 and 1983.

After earning his bachelor's degree in 1985, McFarland embarked on a successful international wrestling career. He was the silver medalist at the 1986 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. McFarland captured the 1987 Tblisi Tournament bronze medal before winning the 1988 World Cup Championship, where he defeated the Soviet Union's world champion Hazar Isiev in the gold-medal match. McFarland was also named the Outstanding Wrestler of the 1988 USA-USSR dual meet in Orlando, Florida.