Kyle R. Jones, Head Men's and Women's Wrestling Coach

Bio

Kyle R. Jones was named the inaugural Director of Wrestling and head coach of the men’s and women’s wrestling programs at Wilberforce University in May 2026. A proven program builder and student-athlete mentor, Jones brings extensive experience in collegiate and high school wrestling leadership, recruiting, athlete development, and community engagement.

Jones arrives at Wilberforce after serving as head wrestling coach at Dunbar High School from 2023-2025. Under his leadership, the program experienced nearly 300 percent roster growth and became one of the fastest-growing wrestling programs in the region. He guided the Wolverines to consecutive City League Championships while developing beginner wrestlers into competitive athletes through structured training, mentorship, and accountability. Jones also established strong relationships with families, school administrators, and community stakeholders while implementing mentorship initiatives supporting at-risk and first-generation student-athletes.

Prior to his time at Dunbar, Jones served as head wrestling coach at Defiance College from 2019-2023, where he built and led a competitive collegiate wrestling program centered on discipline, accountability, and student-athlete success. During his tenure, he increased roster size by 300 percent through strategic recruiting and community pipeline development while overseeing all aspects of program operations, including recruiting, scheduling, budgeting, fundraising, compliance, and athlete development. He also established recruiting pipelines with high schools, clubs, and urban wrestling programs across the Midwest while fostering a student-first culture emphasizing leadership, academic achievement, and character development.

In addition to his scholastic and collegiate coaching experience, Jones is the founder and head coach of the Society Sports Wrestling Club in Southern and Central Ohio. The travel program focuses on expanding wrestling opportunities in urban communities and among female athletes while connecting student-athletes with collegiate opportunities. Under his leadership, the club has produced a state champion, multiple state qualifiers and placers, and the No. 1-ranked wrestler in Ohio for 2026.

Jones also brings experience in performance training and athletic operations, serving as a strength and conditioning coach with Gems Elite Development Camp since 2016 and as Director of Operations for the Gem City Buckeyes Youth Football program in 2023. His work has centered on athlete performance, injury prevention, leadership development, and program management.

A former collegiate wrestler at Johnson C. Smith University, Jones was a standout high school wrestler in Ohio, earning All-Conference honors and achieving a No. 2 state ranking during his prep career. He is committed to the HBCU tradition of education, empowerment, and opportunity, with a coaching philosophy focused on developing well-rounded student-athletes who excel academically, compete with discipline, and lead with character both on and off the mat.