Mark Rial became just the fifth head coach of the Buena Vista wrestling program since 1979 when he took over the program in 2018-19.
Since arriving on campus, Rial led the team to its highest conference finish in five years during his first campaign, and the five dual victories that year marked the program's highest single-season total in 12 seasons. He's coached one national qualifiers and seven regional placewinners.
In the spring of 2021, Rial coached the program's first All-American (NWCA) since 2010.
Prior to landing his first head coaching job at BVU, Rial had been employed by Royal Flooring in Urbandale, Iowa, since 2017 where he worked with builders and home owners on new construction and retail projects from start to finish. In addition to those duties, he remained closely involved with the sport of wrestling and took the U.S. Greco-Roman Cadet Team to Zagreb, Croatia in July 2018 after being named as a co-coach of the team earlier that year. He was named the Iowa USA Person of the Year in 2017.
From 2010-17, Rial was an assistant coach at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge where he was also heavily involved with recruiting. During his tenure with the Tritons program, he was part of a pair of NJCAA National Championship finishes.
Prior to joining the ICCC staff, he served as the wrestling strength and conditioning coach at the University of Northern Iowa from 2008-10, where he assisted with the development and goals of Division I athletes.
Rial was a three-time letter winner and a co-captain in wrestling at UNI and became an NCAA qualifier as a senior in 2001. Following graduation, he was part of USA Wrestling from 2002-08 and went on to become a national champion in 2008. He was a five-time National Greco Roman All-American and a three-time University Nationals All-American. He placed sixth at the Olympic Trials in 2004.
A native of Fort Dodge, Iowa, Rial was a four-time state qualifier, advancing into the state finals three times and twice being crowned state champion for the Dodgers. He earned individual titles in both 1994 and 1996 while finishing as a runner-up in 1995. He earned both the Henry W. Schultz and Kevin Lind Scholarship awards. In 2019, Rial was inducted into the IHSAA Wrestling Hall of Fame during the annual state tournament.
Rial has also volunteered some of his free serving as a referee and timekeeper at several youth wrestling tournaments over the years and also served as a guest speaker on both sports and athletics at various local elementary and high schools.
Rial graduated from UNI with a Bachelor of Arts degree in general studies in 2001.
He and his wife, Lindsey, reside in Fort Dodge along with their two sons, Trace and Parker.
