Justin Ensign became Oklahoma City University's head men’s wrestling coach prior to the 2021-22 season.
The Stars have won three Sooner Athletic Conference titles and was runner-up in 2025 in Ensign's four seasons so far. All four teams finished in the NAIA Top 20.
A three-time conference coach of the year, Ensign has coached eight All-Americans, 21 conference champions, 28 All-Conference winners and four conference freshmen of the year at OCU.
In 2023-24, Ensign guided the Stars to a 6-5 dual meet record and had four Individual Conference Champions and six NAIA National Tournament Qualifiers. Ensign's team went on to win AMC/SAC Championship and led the Stars to placing 16th at the NAIA National Tournament.
At season's end, OCU was granted with two NAIA All Americans in Cade Manion who placed fifth at nationals and Drake Vannoy who came in seventh.
Ensign was named the 2023-24 SAC Coach of the Year and Finalist for NWCA National Coach of the Year.
Ensign joined the Stars after 11 years leading the Central Missouri wrestling program as its head coach. Central Missouri annually challenged some of the top programs in the nation the previous decade.
Ensign guided 10 qualifiers for the NCAA Division II Championships with five earning all-American status and one taking two national championships. Frank Cagnina took the 2014 and ’15 149-pound national titles as well as Central Region wrestler of the year. The Mules posted two top-20 national finishes, including the top finish in program history in 2014-15 (11th). Ensign directed 17 all-region wrestlers.
Ensign’s program achieved in the classroom as well as on the mat. Nineteen Central Missouri wrestlers earned National Wrestling Coaches Association academic all-American and 46 became academic all-conference. Ensign also succeeded in engaging the community, organizing two annual alumni events, including an alumni golf outing. Ensign led a large fundraising campaign towards a new wrestling facility.
Prior to becoming Central Missouri head coach, Ensign served two years as graduate assistant to legendary Mules coach Robin Ersland. During those two years, Central Missouri made the top 25 in the national tournament each year (18th and 22nd) and had five all-Americans.
Ensign began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Wagner College, in Staten Island, N.Y. Ensign directed two third-place wrestlers in the NCAA East Region.
Ensign spent four years on the mat for Wagner. He was named team most valuable player two times and spent two seasons ranked in the top five in the Colonial Athletic Association. He was also a two-year team captain, and two-time Iron Man award winner. Ensign was a four-year starter, twice at both 141 and 149 pounds. The Cherry Hill, N.J., native earned his bachelor’s degree in childhood education and sociology in 2007, and earned his master’s in sports management from Central Missouri in spring 2011.
Ensign At OCU
2021-22 Season
- 7-1 dual meet record
- four individual conference Champions- 9 NAIA National Tournament Qualifiers
- SAC Team Champions- 17th NAIA National Tournament
- Two NAIA All Americans (Cade Manion 141 4th place, Keegan Luton 149 7th)
- Conference Frosh of the year- Keegan Luton
- National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) 11th NAIA Team GPA – 4 individual NWCA Academic All Americans
- SAC Coach of the Year and Finalist for NWCA National Coach of the Year
22-23 Season
- 11-6 dual meet record
- Four Individual Conference Champions- 5 NAIA National Tournament Qualifiers
- AMC/SAC Team Champions- 19th NAIA National Tournament
- Two NAIA Individual NAIA All Americans (Cade Manion 141 5th, Keegan Luton 5th)
- Conference Wrestler of the Year Keegan Luton
- Conference Frosh of the Year- Hayden Brown
- NWCA 8th NAIA Team GPA- six individual NWCA Academic All Americans
- SAC Coach of the Year and Finalist for NWCA National Coach of the Year
23-24 Season
- 6-5 dual meet record
- Four Individual Conference Champions- 6 NAIA National Tournament Qualifiers
- AMC/SAC Team Champions- 16th NAIA National Tournament
- Two NAIA All Americans (Cade Manion 5th, Drake Vannoy 7th)
- Conference Frosh of the Year- Braden Potts
- NWCA 15th in NAIA Team GPA- NWCA Individual Academic All Americans
- SAC Coach of the Year and Finalist for NWCA National Coach of the Year
24-25 Season
- 3-9 dual meet record
- fFve Individual Conference Champions- 6 NAIA National Tournament Qualifiers
- AMC/SAC Runner Ups- 19th NAIA National Tournament
- Two NAIA All Americans (Cade Manion 141 3rd, Omari Smith 197 8th)
- Conference Frosh of the Year- Jake Moon
- Two NAIA Daktronics scholar athletes - 5 NWCA Individual Academic All Americans
- Cade Manion first four-time All American in OCU wrestling history (Keegan Luton and Cade Manion both four-time conference champions)
