Shortly after Alma College added the sport of wrestling in 2011, Todd Hibbs was named the head coach. Since his hiring, Hibbs has led the Scots to an immediate impact in the NCAA Midwest Regional and across the nation.
In just four years on the mats, the accolades have poured in for Alma College wrestling. Academically, Alma has placed top five in the nation for team GPA the past three years. Athletically, the Scots have registered records of 9-6, 7-3 and 17-5 the past three seasons. In addition, each of the past two seasons the Scots have been regularly ranked in the Top 25, peaking at #11 in 2015.
"A strong first recruiting class led us to some earlier success than people anticipated, but our goals have risen and now we expect more,” said Hibbs. “This is a place where we can produce individual national champions and All-Americans on a regular basis. We want leaders who are interested in bringing a national team championship to Alma College.”
Hibbs was head coach at Olivet College from 2004-08, rebuilding an eliminated program to a top-10 team nationally. His team also ranked second academically in NCAA Division III (97 schools), and his fund-raising efforts assisted in moving the program into new on-campus facilities. He was named a finalist for NCAA Coach of the Year in 2006 when his team finished 16-1-1 and undefeated in NCAA Division III competition. After five years as the Comets’ head wrestling coach, Hibbs was promoted as the school’s director, and ultimately vice president for institutional advancement, from 2009 - 2011. Across his coaching career, Hibbs now has a dual-meet record of 94-48-2, with his only losing season being the inaugural season of the Alma College program.
Hibbs has also made an impact in wrestling in a variety of other ways over the past 30 years. After a career at Mount Union College that included a pair of NCAA Division III All-America finishes, three individual Ohio Athletic Conference Championships and Scholar All-American honors, Hibbs was inducted to the school’s Hall of Fame and migrated to several different positions of national leadership in the sport.
He has announced more than 30 NCAA Championships on the microphone, and has served as a coaching mentor in the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s Leadership Academy. Additionally, he is the author of “Wrestling with Ethics”, an extensive research project with the NWCA into ethical questions surrounding coaching in the sport. Hibbs also serves as one of two NCAA Division III coaches on the All-Divisions Rules Committee.
Hibbs is married to Karen Kane, an associate principal scientist with Post Cereal Company. They have a daughter, Kayla (10) and son Brock (7).
