Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has added David Kurker to its wrestling coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. Head coach Tim Fader announced the hiring, highlighting Kurker's experience and background.

Kurker most recently served as Assistant Wrestling Coach at The Roxbury Latin School in Boston, Massachusetts, during the 2024-25 season. While there, he coached three national prep qualifiers.

"We are very excited to add David Kurker to our coaching staff at UW Eau Claire," Fader said. "I welcome his experience and different perspective being from the East Coast. I also value that he wants to further his career as a college wrestling coach and is willing to move to Wisconsin to start that journey. I believe he brings a lot to the table for our wrestlers in our program. David had a great career as a competitor at Southern Maine and he started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with one of the best DIII wrestling coaches out there with Vermont-Castleton's Scott Legacy. Coach Legacy raved about his work ethic and recruiting abilities and we've seen that first hand in only his first two weeks on our campus. David will be active in all aspects of our program at UW Eau Claire."

Kurker brings NCAA Division III coaching experience from Vermont State University Castleton, where he was a Graduate Assistant with the Spartans for two seasons. During this time, he coached athletes who achieved 19 regional placements, 11 NCAA National Qualifier spots, three NCAA All-American honors, and 15 NWCA Scholar All-American recognitions.

In addition to wrestling, Kurker has more than three years of sports performance experience through roles at SMHC Sports Performance Center Saco at Maine Health in Saco, Maine, and Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Woburn and Middletown, Massachusetts.

As an athlete, Kurker competed for four years at Southern Maine University, finishing his senior year with a record of 19-11. In high school in Massachusetts, he earned All-State wrestler honors.

He holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science from USM and a master's degree in athletic leadership from Vermont-Castleton. Originally from Needham, Massachusetts, Kurker now lives in Eau Claire.

Kurker is certified as a Level 1 Functional Strength Coach and holds a Red Cross First Aid Certificate.