Team Coaches
Kevin LeValley
HEAD COACH (HIGH SCHOOL BOYS & YOUTH)
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
LeValley enters his second year at the helm for the 2025-2026 season.
In his first season as head coach, the ponies accumulated 28 dual wins, culminating in a 3rd place finish at the MSHSL Team State Tournament. 11 individuals qualified for the Individual Boys State Tournament, with 5 earning medals (4th, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 1st)
LeValley returned to Minnesota after an 8-year stint coaching at his alma mater, Bucknell University. At Bucknell, he coached 21 NCAA qualifiers, 14 Academic All-Americans, 9 EIWA Finalists, a 2X All-American and EIWA Outstanding Wrestler.
LeValley previously competed for Gopher Wrestling Club and Minnesota Storm from 2011-2015, was a 2015 US National Team member, and was ranked as high as 12th in the world at 70kg.
A 2011 Bucknell graduate, LeValley was a two-time All-American and still holds school records for wins in a season (42) and a career (127). Most notably, he handed Cornell's Kyle Dake his final collegiate loss in the 2011 EIWA finals. In 2021, LeValley was honored by his alma mater as a first ballot Bucknell Athletics Hall of Famer.
LeValley and his wife, Amanda, were married in October 2014. They have two sons and one daughter, Harlan (7), Thaller (5), and Lakyn (1)
Katrina Eggum
HEAD COACH (GIRLS)
Bio coming soon!
Jesse Spates
CO-HEAD COACH (MIDDLE SCHOOL)
Bio coming soon!
Steve Polakowski
ASSISTANT COACH (HIGH SCHOOL)
Coach Polakowski has been an integral part of our coaching staff since 2021, including a stint as head coach for the 2022-2023 season.
Steve is originally from Libertyville, Illinois. He wrestled collegiately for the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2019.
In addition to his role at Stillwater, Steve is also the MNUSAW Girls Head Coach.
Matt Onken
ASSISTANT COACH (HIGH SCHOOL)
Coach Onken has been a member of our staff since 2014, and is entering his 20th year of coaching with previous stops at Vermillion High School in South Dakota, Rochester Century High School, and Park High School.
Onken received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Dakota. He attended Murray County Central High School in southwest MN and wrestled for Fulda/Slayton (now Fulda/MCC) as the varsity heavyweight.
Onken owns two local businesses in downtown Stillwater, the Green Bridge Coffee Shop and Herman Electric Bike Rental.
His wife, Julie is a teacher at Woodbury High School and they have two children, Ethan and Logan.
Gabrielle Torgerson
ASSISTANT COACH (GIRLS)
Bio coming soon!
Doug Surgenor
ASSISTANT COACH (GIRLS)
A former wrestler for the University of Minnesota, Coach Surgenor was recruited from Neenah High School in Wisconsin, where he was a 2X state qualifier with over 100 career wins.
Surgenor is a high school principal. He and his wife, Janele were married in 2006. They have 3 daughters, Peyton, Jaelyn, and Austyn, who are all wrestlers.
Rich Keller
ASSISTANT COACH
Former high school head coach, Rich Keller, has been a staple of our coaching staff since 1990.
Rich is a Stillwater Area Wrestling Alumni and former team captain for coaches VIk WIlson and Ron Stow. After graduating from Stillwater, he wrestled collegiately for Mankato State University.
Rich and his wife Sue have 4 children, Sara, Rachel, Marie, and John.
Tim Hartung
ASSISTANT COACH
Former high school head coach, Tim Hartung, has been a key contributor to our program since 2014.
Tim and his wife Lindsey have 3 children, Ella, August, and Paisley.
Tim is originally from Durand, Wisconsin. He wrestled collegiately for the University of Minnesota, where he became a 2X NCAA champion, 3X All-American and 3X Big Ten Champion. He was inducted into the University of Minnesota Hall of Fame in 2010
Ben Berhow
ASSISTANT COACH
Ben has been a member of our coaching staff since 2023. He previously served as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa from 2013-2019. While at Iowa, he helped to develop 18 All-Americans and 3 NCAA Champions.
Prior to his time with the Hawkeyes, Berhow served as a Graduate Assistant for the University of Minnesota from 2011-2013. The Gophers enjoyed tremendous success during those years, as Berhow helped to develop 12 All-Americans, and a 2X NCAA Champion.
A 2011 graduate of the University of Minnesota, Berhow was a member of the 2007 NCAA Championship team while also garnering 78 career wins. He was a 3X NCAA Qualifier, placing 6th, 4th, and 3rd at the BIG 10 Championships.
Berhow and his wife, Marie, were married in July of 2017. They have one daughter, Josie.
Adam Turner
ASSISTANT COACH
Adam is entering his 4th season with the Ponies. Prior to coming to Stillwater, he was the head coach in Ashland, Oregon for 7 years. He also coached other programs in both Washington and Wisconsin.
A four-year starter for the University of Wisconsin, Adam was a Wisconsin state champion and Junior National Freestyle All-American.
Adam and his wife, Erin, live in Stillwater with their 5 children: Lindson, Sierra, River, Ayazi and Demitri.
Ray Wilhelm
ASSISTANT COACH
A Stillwater Area Wrestling Alumni and State Champion, Ray wrestled collegiately at Rochester Community College, The University of Minnesota-Duluth, and Mankato State University.
He joined our coaching staff in 1999.
Ray is a Business Development Manager at ServiceMaster DSI.
He married his wife Angela in 2014. They have 2 daughters Natalia and Jayda, and 1 son Dominick.
Tom Wendt
ASSISTANT COACH
Wendt has been a member of our staff since 2003.
He was a 4-year wrestling letter winner at LeMars Community High School and then competed for the now non-existent Westmar College.
Coach Wendt has 3 grown children who excelled in nordic skiing, swimming, viola, saxophone, and skateboarding.
Austin Jordan
ASSISTANT COACH
Coach Jordan has been a member of our staff since 2018.
A Stillwater Area Wrestling alumni, Austin wrestled collegiately for Augustana University, where he was a 5 year letter winner. During his time at Augustana, he also coached at Harrisburg High School.
Austin now teaches Functional Patterns in Oakdale and at Prodigy Martial Arts in Blaine. In addition, he owns and operates the Honeycomb Cottage MN, a bee therapy center with his girlfriend Ruth on their 5 acre homestead in Stillwater.
Trey Kruse
ASSISTANT COACH
Bio coming soon!
Nolan Springer
ASSISTANT COACH
Nolan Springer joins our staff for the 2025-2026 season.
A native of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, Nolan captured two individual state titles for the Pointers. Following graduation, he wrestled collegiately for Bucknell University.
Nolan is currently employed as an Estimator/Salesman at Commercial Door Systems.
Zach Silvis
ASSISTANT COACH
Zach Silvis joins our staff for the 2025-2026 season
A native of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, Zach wrestled collegiately for North Dakota State University.
He is currently pursuing a degree in computer engineering at the University of Minnesota while training Greco with the MN Storm.
Brad Pike
ASSISTANT COACH (YOUTH)
Bio coming soon!
Delaney Berger
ASSISTANT COACH (YOUTH)
Delaney enters his 5th year as a member of the youth coaching staff.
He wrestled for the University of Minnesota from 1995-2000, where he was a 2x NCAA qualifier, placing 6th and 5th at the Big Ten Championships. In 1999, the Gophers placed 1st at the Big 10 Championships and 2nd at NCAA's. In 2000, the Gophers placed 2nd at the Big 10 Championships and 3rd at NCAA's.
Delaney was a 4X high school state finalist and 2x undefeated state champion. He was also a Freestyle/Greco All-American, competing at the Junior, Espoir and University Nationals.
In 2013, he was inducted into the North Dakota Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Delaney and his wife, Kristin have 3 children. Dash, Ripp, and Koko all wrestle for our youth program.
Mitch Jackson
ASSISTANT COACH (YOUTH)
A member of our youth coaching staff 2019, Mitch is a Stillwater Area Wrestling Alumni.
He wrestled collegiately for Minnesota West Community College and for the University of Minnesota - Moorhead.
At the conclusion of his wrestling career, Mitch also spent a number of years on the MMA circuit, with 24 professional fights.
Mitch and his wife Lyndsay were married in 2009 and have 4 kids, Elliot, Micky, Paige, and Devyn