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Robert Kokesh rejoins the Nebraska wrestling program as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season, head coach Mark Manning announced this week.
“We were blessed to be able to have Robert Kokesh serving as the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center Coach and to be able to make a seamless transition back to our coaching staff,” Manning said. “Robert was an amazing Husker competitor and represented our school in a first-class manner, and will continue that standard as he joins an impactful staff here at Nebraska Wrestling.”
Kokesh previously worked with the Nebraska wrestling program from 2016 to 2023, serving as an administrative assistant and assistant coach, before leaving to take over the family farm in South Dakota. He returns to the staff after following the departure of James Green, who stepped down after three seasons as an assistant coach.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be back again at my alma mater to help develop and continue to make Nebraska wrestling one of the best programs in the country,” Kokesh said.
In his first four seasons serving in an administrative role with the Huskers, Nebraska produced four consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships from 2016 through 2019.
In his first season as a full-time assistant at Nebraska in 2020, Kokesh helped the Huskers a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the NCAA Championships.
In 2022, Kokesh helped the Big Red to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, before adding an eighth-place NCAA finish in 2023.
From 2011 to 2015, Kokesh totaled 144 career wins in a Nebraska singlet, ranking second in school history. He earned All-America honors three times, placing third at the NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2015, while taking fourth in 2014. Kokesh also claimed Big Ten titles in 2014 and 2015.
Kokesh was a member of the NWCA All-Academic Team and was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. He also spent five semesters on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.
A Wagner, South Dakota, native, Kokesh was a three-time South Dakota Class B State Champion (2008-10) and led Wagner High School to team state titles both seasons. He graduated from Nebraska in August of 2015 with a degree in agronomy.