Ryan Birt

Head Coach

Since joining the Millikin staff in 2015, Head Coach Ryan Birt returned the Big Blue wrestling program to action (dormant from 2008-15) and turned it into a national powerhouse.

Birt has built Big Blue wrestling into one of the top programs in NCAA Division III including winning three straight College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament Championships in 2020, 2021 and 2022. In 2021-22, Birt led the Big Blue to a ninth place finish at the NCAA Division III National Tournament. He coach Bradan Birt to an NCAA Championship becoming what is believed to be the first father son combination to each win an NCAA title. The Big Blue had three NCAA qualifiers and two All-Americans. Millikin had four CCIW Champions and nine All-Conference performers. Birt was named the 2022 Region Head Coach of the Year and the Big Blue staff were named Assistants of the Year.

In 2020-21, the Big Blue had four individual CCIW Champions and had nine wrestlers earn All-Conference honors. Birt was a driving force in organizing the NWCA Division III National Championships in March of 2021 after the NCAA Division III Championships were canceled for the second straight year. Millikin took advantage of the national spotlight with senior Bradan Birt capturing the National Championship at 165 pounds. Logan Hagerbaumer (third place) and Peter McCusker (sixth place) joined Bradan Birt in earned NWCA All-American honors. Ryan Birt has been selected CCIW Coach of the Year (Co-Coach of the Year in 2019) three times. In 2015-16, Birt was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Rookie Coach of the Meet at the NCAA Championships.

Birt has been named CCIW Coach of the Year four times. He as has coached, 17 All-Americans including two national champions, four NCAA finalists, 17 NCAA qualifiers, 19 CCIW Individual Champions and 49 All-Conference performers. Birt has a 75-42 career duals record heading into 2022-23. Birt’s programs have produced two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, 18 NWCA Scholar Wrestlers and 30 CCIW Academic All-Conference honorees.

Birt came to Millikin with over 16 years of wrestling coaching experience at the club, high school and collegiate level.  Birt is an accomplished wrestler earning an NCAA National Championship and twice earning All-American status.

Prior to coming to Millikin, Birt was the Associate Head Coach at Loras College in Iowa.  Birt joined the Loras staff in 2010 and he helped the Duhawks wrestling program become a top 20 program.  In 2013-14, Loras finished 14th in NCAA Division III and earlier this season the Duhawks were ranked as high as eighth in the nation.  Birt was named the NCAA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014.  He has coached nine NCAA qualifiers, five NCAA All-Americans and one NCAA Champion.  He helped Loras raise over $100,000 to renovate team locker rooms and a wrestling room.

Birt started his coaching career in 2000 as an assistant coach at Forest City, Iowa High School.  He then moved to Gibson City Melvin Sibley High School where he became head coach in 2002.  He compiled over 150 dual meet wins, three regional championships and two sectional championships while at Gibson City.  Birt qualified 20 individuals for the Illinois (IHSA) State Tournament, including 11 place-winners and two state champions.  In 2003 Birt was inducted into Urbana High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Birt wrestled and played football at Upper Iowa University.  His wrestling career included a perfect 39-0 season and NCAA National Championship in 1999.  He was a two-time All-American and an NCAA runner up in 1997.  He was twice an Iowa Conference Champion and named the Iowa Conference’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.  He was also an all-conference linebacker in football at Upper Iowa.  In 2010 he was inducted into the Peacock’s Athletic Hall of Fame.  Birt graduated from Upper Iowa in 2000 with degrees in Physical Education and Secondary Special Education.