In March 2022, Missouri Baptist University Associate Vice President & Director of Athletics Dr. Tom Smith announced the hiring of
Caleb McElfresh to take reins of the Spartan men's wrestling program.
McElfresh is no stranger to AMC and NAIA Wrestling. A four-year starter at Hannibal-LaGrange University, McElfresh wrestled two separate stints in Hannibal, Mo., wrestling two years at 125 pounds (2013-15) and two seasons at 133 pounds (2017-18). A team captain for the Trojans, McElfresh's career highlights included a sixth-place finish at the Maryville Open, placing at the AMC Championships, a runner-up finish at the Big Blue Open, and fourth at the Harper Open. He graduated from HLGU in 2018 with a B.S. in Communications and a minor in Public Relations.
As a coach, the Colorado Springs, Colo. native got his start at the prep level at his alma mater Mitchell High School (Colo.). McElfresh totaled six years as an assistant coach at Mitchell HS with seven CHSAA state qualifiers and two podium finishes, and one year at Galileo Middle School coaching the school's first city champion and four placers.
In August 2021, McElfresh made the move to Missouri to become a graduate assistant in Athletics Communications at Missouri Baptist. While pursuing his Master's in Sport Management, McElfresh became an assistant wrestling coach at nearby Westminster Christian Academy (Mo.) where he helped mentor one MSHSAA state qualifier. On top of that, McElfresh stepped up as an interim coach at MBU in the spring of 2022 guiding two Spartans to the NAIA Men's Wrestling National Championships and an All-American performance for
Steven Weathers at 149 pounds.
Prior to his collegiate career at Hannibal-LaGrange, McElfresh started wrestling as a freshman and became a four-year varsity letterwinner at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs. He was a two-time Metros placer and one-time Colorado state qualifier at 113 pounds.
