One of the premiere coaches across the nation at all levels of collegiate wrestling, Cole Spree is set to begin his sixth season with the Indian Hills Wrestling program in 2025-26. Spree spent his first four seasons as head men's and women's head coach, before transitioning to the full-time head men's coach in 2024-25.

In his inaugural campaign as the leader of the men's program in 2024-25, Spree guided the Warriors to one of the most dominant seasons in junior college wrestling history. The Warriors brought home the program's first-ever team national championship, setting a new NJCAA team record for team points with 182.0 while winning the title by 40.5 team points. Indian Hills saw its first-ever individual national champions with a pair of top performances from Gavyn Whitehead (141lbs) and Andrew Marquez (197lbs).

The regular season saw the Warriors put together an undefeated slate, going 10-0 on the year, including a 6-0 mark in the ultra-competitive ICCAC. Indian Hills knocked off five nationally ranked opponents, including an impressive home victory over No. 1 nationally ranked North Idaho. The Warriors cruised to the NJCAA North Central District Championship for the second time in program history while capturing seven individual district champions and qualifying individuals to the national tournament in all 10 weight classes.

Academically, the Warriors were recognized as an NJCAA and NWCA Academic Team of the Year with the second-highest team GPA in the nation. 11 individuals were named NWCA Scholar All-Americans while six individuals earned NJCAA All-Academic honors. Sophomore Jaquan East was tapped as a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American.

Spree was tapped as the first head wrestling coach in program history in October 2019 to spearhead Indian Hills' newest sport offerings. Spree ignited the program in dominant fashion, capturing four consecutive women's national titles while leading the men's program to four consecutive top-10 finishes at the national tournament.

In Spree's final year leading both the men's and women's programs in 2023-24, the women secured the NJCAA Women's Wrestling national title while the men placed seventh overall in Council Bluffs, IA.

The 2022-23 campaign proved to be another record-breaking season on both sides under the tutelage of Spree. The women captured the inaugural NJCAA Women's Wrestling National Championship after dominating the field with four national champions, including the invitational's Most Outstanding Wrestler Eliana Bommarito. The Warriors captured 17 All-American honors and boasted an undefeated dual record in the ICCAC. For his efforts, Spree garnered a trio of accolades - 2023 The Open Mat NJCAA Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year, NJCAA Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year, and NWCA Coach of the Year.

On the men's side, the Warriors placed ninth overall at the national tournament, the team's third consecutive top-10 finish. Indian Hills was led by national runner-up Kawaun Deboe in the heavyweight division while three additional student-athletes collected NJCAA All-American honors.

Academically, the two squads combined for 16 NWCA Scholar All-American honors, including 11 on the women's side while the men's team placed fifth in the nation with a 3.249 GPA.

The 2021-22 season saw the women's program capture its second consecutive team and dual national championship in Roseburg, OR. The team brought home four individual national champions in Heaven-Leigh Jackson, Mya Turnmire, Kennedy Shropshire, and Alondra Rosado Martinez while 13 individuals in total earned All-American status. The team claimed 164.5 team points for the national title while sweeping the field in the dual national championship. The Warriors posted an unblemished 7-0 dual record on the year, including a 4-0 mark at home where the Warriors hosted its first-ever home dual in program history.

On the men's side, the Warriors produced five individual All-Americans on the mat while the team recorded an eighth-place showing at the NJCAA National Tournament in Council Bluffs, IA. The Warriors finished the year with a 9-3 dual record, including a 5-1 mark in the ultra-competitive ICCAC league. Indian Hills placed fourth overall at the NJCAA North Central District Championship while Caleb Meekins and Deron Pulliam were crowned individual District champions.

In its first season of existence in the 2020-21 season, the Warrior women made history, becoming the first-ever women's junior college program to win the Junior College National Championship (JCNC). The Warriors took home the team and dual national titles while Heaven-Leigh Jackson, Chloe Clemons, and Sofia Rubio took home individual national titles. The Warriors produced 12 All-Americans in a first-of-its-kind event that helped bring women's wrestling at the junior college level to center stage.

Along with the women's success in its first season, the Warrior men made waves by capturing the NJCAA North Central District Championship in a thrilling run to the crown. Caleb Meekins, Deron Pulliam, and Chris Busutil earned individual District titles as the Warriors advanced to the national touranment. The program produced an eighth-place showing while earning five All-American honors.

Spree joined the Warrior program with a wealth of junior college experience. A Parkersburg, Iowa native, Spree became the head wrestling coach at Ellsworth before the 2011-12 season and helped develop 29 All-Americans and 11 national tournament finalists.  The Panthers finished in the top 10 at the national tournament in each of Spree's final six seasons, with a third-place showing in 2016 and a fifth-place finish in 2019.  The Panthers were also runners-up at the 2016 NWCA duals tourney and in the top four in four consecutive years.  Spree was named the ICCAC coach of the year in 2013 and 2019.

Prior to his head coaching experience at Ellsworth, Spree was an assistant for one year at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota, and for a year at Ellsworth.  At Minot State he worked with a team that produced 10 national qualifiers and ranked as high as 15^th in the nation as the program was restarted after being dormant for nearly 20 years.  

On the mat, Spree was a three-time state placewinner for Aplington-Parkersburg High School before enrolling at Ellsworth, where he became an All-American.  He was a two-time national qualifier for Northwestern College before beginning his coaching career. Spree earned his associate degree from Ellsworth, a bachelor's degree at Northwestern and a master's in business management from Minot State.

Spree and his wife, Dana, have three boys - Henry, Holden, and Hayes.

Spree's File

• 2025 NJCAA Men's Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee
• 2025 NJCAA Men's Wrestling Coach of the Year
• 2025 ICCAC Men's Wrestling Coach of the Year
• 2025 NJCAA Men's Wrestling National Champions
• 2025 NJCAA Men's Wrestling Central District Champions
• 2024 NJCAA Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year
• 2023 The Open Mat NJCAA Women's Coach of the Year
• 2023 NWCA Coach of the Year
• 2023 NJCAA Women's Wrestling Coach of the Year
• 2021 NJCAA Midwest District Coach of the Year
• 2023 NJCAA Women's Wrestling National Champions
• 2022 JCNC Team & Dual National Champions
• 2021 JCNC Team & Dual National Champions
• 2021 NJCAA Midwest District Champions (men)
• 15 individual national champions (2 men, 13 women)
• 17 national runners-up ( 4 men, 13 women)
• 85 All-Americans (58 women, 27 men)
• 3 NWCA Scholar All-American Teams
• 61 NWCA Scholar All-Americans (11 women, 29 men)
• 38-7 dual record, 25-5 conference dual record (men)