North Tama senior Kolt Knaack (center front) pictured alongside his family including (l-r) dad and head coach Andrew, brother Emmet (seventh grade), [Kolt], mom Nicole, and sister Julie (first grade) last Friday, March 21, in the North Tama gym commons. Kolt signed his letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse next season. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

TRAER – Next season, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) head wrestling coach Dave Malecek, an Iowa native, will add a slightly familiar face to his Division III men’s wrestling roster – North Tama High School senior Kolt Knaack. That is, if Knaack bears any resemblance (spoiler: he does) to his dad, North Tama head coach Andrew Knaack who once upon a time wrestled for Coach Malecek at Wartburg College.

“I’ll be the only Iowa guy on the team,” Kolt said last Friday (March 21) shortly after signing his UWL letter of intent in the North Tama gym commons with his family by his side. “They don’t recruit a lot of Iowa kids [due to] out of state tuition [costs].”

While Kolt’s decision to wrestle at the collegiate level was never in doubt – the four-time state wrestling qualifier, three-time state medalist finished his high school season with over 175 total wins and only five losses over the last two years – the question, rather, was where.

“It was between La Crosse and Cornell (College),” Kolt explained. “I like the coaches [at La Crosse].”

Those coaches include Malecek, an Osage High School Class of 1989 graduate who has built a storied career in his 19 seasons at the helm of the UWL Eagles. According to his UWL biography, Malecek was selected as the 2025 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to their first regional championship in school history.

North Tama senior wrestler Kolt Knaack signs his letter of intent with the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UWL) on Friday, March 21, in the gym commons in Traer. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Prior to La Crosse, Malacek served as head assistant coach at Wartburg from 2000 to 2006; Kolt’s dad Andrew (’05) was a four-year letterwinner while at Wartburg and a two-time NCAA national qualifier.

In his freshman season (2021-22), the younger Knaack was one of three wrestlers to break North Tama’s 20-year state qualifier drought alongside Case Monat (’24) and Aiden Zook (’22). He was also the first North Tama freshman to qualify period for the state tournament since 1995.

While at UWL, Kolt plans to pursue a degree in finance. But will he miss wrestling for his dad next season?

“It will be weird,” Kolt admitted before adding he was greatly looking forward to wrestling for Malecek.

“He’ll keep an eye on him,” the elder Knaack said with a chuckle about his former college coach now helping mold his firstborn’s college wrestling career. “[Malecek] knows who to call.”

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Redhawk senior wrestler Kolt Knaack (center front) pictured alongside his family including (clockwise from back left) dad and head coach Andrew Knaack, brother Emmet (seventh grade), grandpa Dave Winkowitsch, sister Julie (first grade), mom Nicole, [Kolt], and girlfriend Liz Hovenga last Friday, March 21, in the North Tama gym commons after signing his letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse next season. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Redhawk senior wrestlers Briar Blake, front left, and Kolt Knaack, front right, pictured on Friday, March 21, alongside their coaches, teammates, and managers in the North Tama gym commons after signing their respective letters of intent to wrestle collegiately next season. Also pictured, head coach (and Kolt’s dad) Andrew Knaack (far left), assistant coach (and Briar’s grandpa) Dave Nicol (second from right), and assistant coach Brice Girkin (far right). PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER