Alma Mater: UNK
Graduating Year: 2012
Experience: 9th
Coaching Career
2016-Present: Head Coach
2015-16: Associate Head Coach
2012-15: Assistant Coach
A Nebraska-Kearney graduate and a 2012 NCAA Division II National Champion, Dalton Jensen was named head coach of Loper wrestling in the summer of 2016. He previously was associate head coach and assistant coach at UNK, working under current Loper Athletic Director Marc Bauer.
"The UNK Wrestling program has seen a wealth of success for over a decade now and I'm very honored and blessed to be named the head coach of such an established and rich program. With any program there is room to improve and my staff and I will continue to build to be the most dominant program in NCAA Division II," said Jensen. "Our program has always been very process oriented and that will continue to be our main focus moving forward. Many people have contributed to this phase of my life in addition to Coach Bauer including my parents, brothers, and most importantly my wife. I'm very grateful for the love and support these people have given me to help me attain this dream job."
Under Jensen's direction, the Lopers have continued to be a National Powerhouse, having seven top eight finishes at the NCAA Division II Championships. That includes the program's fourth National Title in 2022, UNK's sixth National Runner Up effort in 2021 and a third place finish in 2024. He has also led the Lopers to five Super Region titles and two MIAA titles. 
Entering the 2024-25 season with a 112-35 (.818 win pct.) dual record, including a 29-5 mark against league competition, the 4-time MIAA Coach of the Year has coached 43 All-Americans. That includes four National Champions and seven National Runners up. At the 2021 NCAA meet, UNK had a program record nine AA's, followed by eight the following March when UNK won the National Title. That point total of 127.0 set a new program record at the NCAA's.
Addtionally, Jensen and his staff have coached 33 Super Region Champs, 30 MIAA Champs/first-team selections and two MIAA Wrestlers of the Year. That duo included Matt Malcolm who was tabbed as the 2022 MIAA Male Student-Athlete of the Year. In 2024, Zach Ourada was tabbed as the NWCA Division II Rookie of the Year.
Off the mat, the program maintains well over a 3.00 cumulative grade point average with the team having multiple NWCA All-American Scholar and Academic All-MIAA qualifiers on an annual basis.
In his tenure, Jensen also saw the development and completion of the Ron & Pam Blessing Wrestling Facility, one of the premier wrestling spaces for a collegiate program.
The Missouri Valley, Ia., native began his collegiate career at Iowa State where he won 21 matches as a freshman in 2009. Competing at 141 and 149 lbs., he won the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award at Nebraska-Omaha's Glen Brand Open and also placed sixth at the Midlands Championships. In 2010 Jensen was the Cyclones starter at 141 lbs., finishing fourth at the Big 12 Championships and picking up a win at the NCAA Division I Championships.
As a junior for UNK, he was a national runner up at 141 lbs., going 30-5 with a team-best 10 falls. He reached the national championship match by pinning the reigning champ in just 17 seconds. Jensen, also the RMAC/West Region winner, shared the team's Outstanding Junior Award with T.J. Hepburn.
In his senior season Jensen helped the Lopers win its second team national title by winning the 141 lbs. class. Posting a 30-4 mark, he finished his career with 11 straight victories, capped by a fall at 4:18 in the national title match.
For Missouri Valley High, he amassed the fourth most wins in Iowa prep history (180) with 126 of those coming by fall. A four-time state qualifier and a two-time state champ (103 & 125 lbs.), he won a gold medal in the Greco-Roman bracket and finished fourth in freestyle at the 2007 Junior National Tournament in Fargo, N.D. In 2006, he was the 125 lbs. champ at the Brute Adidas National tournament.
He and his wife, Brenda (Petersen), live in Kearney with their son. Brenda is the City Manager of Kearney.
YEAR BY YEAR WITH COACH JENSEN
2023-24 18-4 (4-1) NCAA 3rd Place; Super Region VI Champs; Five All-Americans
2022-23 11-7 (3-1) NCAA 8th Place; Three All-Americans
2021-22 11-4 (3-1) National Champions; Super Region VI Champs; Eight All-Americans
2020-21 10-3 (3-0) National Runner Up; Super Region VI Champs; Nine All-Americans
2019-20 13-6 (3-1) Super Region VI Champs; Five All-Americans; No NCAA meet due to pandemic
2018-19 12-4 (5-0) NCAA 5th place; Super Region VI Champs; MIAA Champs; Four All-Americans
2017-18 21-1 (5-0) NCAA 8th place; MIAA Champs; Five All-Americans
2016-17 16-6 (4-1) NCAA 4th place; MIAA Champs; Four All-Americans
TOTALS 112-35 (29-5)
