Jessika Rottier joined the Gannon University women’s wrestling program as assistant coach in late November 2021 after previously serving as an assistant coach at UW-Stevens Point for two years.
“I am excited to add Jess to our coaching staff,” related head coach Breonnah Neal. “Having two national champion coaches on staff will bring the mindset and success we are striving to achieve. She is going to be a great asset in helping our team continue to grow.”
Rottier helped UW-Stevens Point produce a pair of All-Americans while finishing 12th out of 22 teams at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships a year ago. In 2019-2020, UW-Stevens Point placed eighth out of 19 teams.
Not only did Rottier serve as an assistant coach in 2019-20, she also competed as a graduate student for the Pointers. She would win her second national championship while competing at 170 lbs., in the process becoming UW-Stevens Point’s first national champion. In the finals, she won the title with an 11-0 tech fall over Yelena Makoyed of North Central.
Rottier joined the UWSP staff after earning her bachelor’s degree at the University of the Cumberlands. While at UC, she was a competitor on the women's wrestling team, winning the WCWA national championship in 2017 while finishing with a 31-1 record with 15 falls. She pinned three of her five opponents at the national championships. In 2016, she was second at the WCWA Nationals, second at the ASICS Women's University Nationals and third at the Body Bar Women's Nationals.
Rottier is looking forward to continuing her coaching career at Gannon. “I’m really excited to be a part of the Gannon family and to help grow a successful women’s wrestling team,” she commented. “Coaching under Bre is really exciting and I’m looking forward to learning from her as well as helping to make this program great. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here and on this journey.”
A graduate of Pulaski (Wisc.) High School, Rottier qualified for the Olympic Trials in December 2019 at the U.S. Senior Nationals. She previously won the Pan American Games in 2014 after finishing as runner-up in 2013.
Rottier earned her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science, with a minor in Public Health, from the University of Cumberlands in 2019. She will receive her Master’s of Science degree in Health and Wellness Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in December 2021.
