University of the Cumberlands Athletics

Coach Chris Fleeger is entering his fifth year as the head coach for the University of the Cumberlands Men's Wrestling program.  Over the previous four years Fleeger  has guided to the Patriots to a pair of Mid-South Conference titles, the programs first Mid-South Conference Tournament Titles, and a NAIA National Runner-Up finish in 2018.   

Fleeger was named the NAIA Coach of the Year in 2018 after guiding UC to a 13-1 overall record and a second place finish at nationals.  In addition to that he has garnered Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year honors in each of the past two seasons. Over the past five years, the Patriots have produced two NAIA Individual Champions (Jake Sinkovics, Hayden Lee), 11 NAIA All-Americans, five Mid-South Conference First Team All-Conference, and seven second team all-conference selections.  Cumberlands has also continued to shine academically as 25 wrestlers have been named to the MSC Academic All-Conference Team, while ten have earned Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition. 

Fleeger had a stellar high school career as he was a two-time Pennsylvania State Champion as well as Cadet and Junior National Champion.  Fleeger would then take his talents to West Lafayette, Indiana where he would become a member of the Purdue University Boilermaker Wrestling program.  During his time at Purdue, he was highly successful being named a 3-time NCAA All-American (3^rdplace finish in 2002 at 125 lbs., 2^nd place in 2003 at 125 lbs., and 2^nd in 2006 at 133 lbs.).  He also won the Big Ten Championship in 2003 at 125 pounds.  Fleeger was a two-time University Freestyle National Champion as well in 2001 and 2002.  He also earned a bronze medal at the University World Championships in 2001 and a bronze at the Pan-American Championships in 2002. 

After graduating from Purdue, he would go on to become the Head Coach at Darton College in Albany, Georgia for one year in 2011-2012.  There, he coached 1 NJCAA All-American.  After that season, he would go back to Purdue to become an assistant coach from 2012-2014.  While there, he coached 3 NCAA All-Americans.