Spates will assist the Big Red in all areas of coaching, including recruiting and on-the-mat instruction. A former 149-pounder, he will work with all Cornell wrestlers but will specialize with the middle to lower weight classes.
“I have known Jeremy for a very long time, and I helped him with his technique when he was in junior high,” Koll said. “We tried to get Jeremy to join our staff a few years ago, but the timing was not right. We are very glad to have him back in New York. Jeremy will bring a unique perspective to our staff, having wrestled and coached in the Big 12.”
Spates helped lead Oklahoma to a 16-4 dual record this season, its best in its past five campaigns. The Sooners crowned two Big 12 champions and qualified eight wrestlers for the NCAA tournament. In his five seasons, Spates has helped Oklahoma notch two top-three team finishes at the NCAAs. At the 2004 national tournament, Oklahoma crowned a 141 pound champion, Teyon Ware, and produced four All-Americans. The Sooners followed with five All-Americans in 2005 and its second-straight third-place team finishes. Spates served as an interim assistant coach for the 2004-05 season, and he was promoted to assistant coach prior to the 2005-06 campaign.
A three-time NCAA qualifier, Spates finished his wrestling career at Missouri with a 106-38 record and was only the 10th Tiger in MU history to reach 100 wins. Spates rounded out his senior campaign by placing fifth at the NCAA tournament to earn All-America honors. The first Missouri three-time captain, he was invited to compete at the 2004 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic, where he defeated Cornell All-American Dustin Manotti.
A 1999 Norman HS graduate, Spates was a high school All-American and a three-time junior All-American. He earned an Oklahoma state championship while wrestling for the Tigers.
Spates is the son of Jack Spates, who coached the Big Red from 1988-93. Jack Spates had a 74-14-1 record as the fifth head coach of Cornell and tops all wrestling coaches with a .837 winning percentage. He led the Big Red to five Ivy titles and placed first at the EIWA tournament his last two seasons. The Big Red’s 10th-place mark at the NCAA tournament in 1993 was Cornell’s best in 32 years. Jack Spates is currently in his 16th season as the head coach at Oklahoma. He has led the Sooners to top-four placings nationally in six of the past 10 seasons.
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