07/16/2026
Dave has been the leader in our Youth program for many years! We look forward to seeing success in the middle and high school programs! 🤼 Congrats Coach Dave!
Austin High School is proud to announce the hiring of Dave Cunningham as the next Head Wrestling Coach, bringing with him a lifelong passion for wrestling, a proven record of developing young athletes, and deep roots within the Austin wrestling community.
A graduate of Austin High School, Coach Cunningham understands firsthand what it means to represent the Packers. As a standout wrestler, he earned numerous accolades throughout his high school career, including:
🤼 2-time Team Captain
🤼 3-time All-Big Nine Conference selection
🤼 5-time Section Place winner
🤼 2-time Section Champion
🤼 4th Place at the 2004 Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament
🤼 2004 All-State selection
🤼 Most Wins by a 7th Grader (18)
🤼 Sixth all-time in Austin wrestling history with a career record of 131-41
A multi-sport athlete, Dave also excelled in football and baseball. He was a nine-time varsity letter winner across football, baseball, and wrestling, earned All-Big Nine honors, and served as a team captain in football.
Since graduating, Coach Cunningham has dedicated himself to coaching and mentoring young athletes throughout the Austin community. His coaching experience includes:
🤼 Five years coaching Austin Youth Wrestling
🤼 Three years coaching YMCA Flag Football
🤼 Two years coaching youth baseball
Most recently, his impact has been evident on the wrestling mat. Over the past three seasons, youth wrestlers under his guidance have produced multiple state qualifiers, state place winners, and a state finalist, demonstrating his ability to develop athletes both technically and mentally.
"We are excited to welcome Dave as the head coach of our wrestling program," said Activities Director Katie Carter. "He is passionate about Austin wrestling, understands the tradition of excellence that has been built here, and is committed to developing outstanding young men and women on and off the mat. His energy, knowledge, and dedication to our student-athletes make him an outstanding fit to lead our program."
Coach Cunningham added, "As a former Packer wrestler, the success of the program has always been near and dear to my heart. It is a great honor to lead the program into a new era of Austin Wrestling, where our athletes will not only see improved success on the mat, but learn to become high character individuals in the community and classroom. Go Big Red!"
Austin High School looks forward to the future of its wrestling program under Cunningham's leadership and is excited to see him continue the tradition of excellence that has long defined Packer Wrestling.
