COLLEGE WRESTLING: McLean named interim NIC wrestling coach

Tyler McLean, an NJCAA All-American at 157 pounds in 2015 as a sophomore at North Idaho College, has been named the Cardinals' interim wrestling coach, NIC athletic director Shawn Noel announced Friday.

“We are excited to have Tyler here to oversee our wrestling program,” Noel said in a school news release. “He is an alumnus who has seen a great deal of success, and I know he will guide our wrestlers in the right direction.”

Chase Clasen, who served as interim coach after head coach Mike Sebaaly was named interim president in October, was named head coach at Division II Concordia in Seward, Neb., on April 19.

School officials said Sebaaly is expected to return to his head coaching role after his role as interim president ends, with McLean moving to assistant coach. The school hopes to have a permanent president in place by June.

McLean graduated from Mead High in Spokane.

He then transferred to NCAA Division II Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, where he led the country in wins his junior year, becoming the university’s second NCAA All-American and placing fourth nationally. During his senior year, McLean placed fourth at the Reno Tournament of Champions and was ranked No. 1 in the country for 10 weeks before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

McLean graduated from SFU with a bachelor of general studies in education with a minor in curriculum and instruction. After graduating, he was an assistant coach at Simon Fraser for three years.

Tyler McLean was an assistant with his father, Phil, at Mead this past season, helping the Panthers win their first state championship since 1993.