Upper Iowa University Athletics

Sam Barber was inducted into the Upper Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame as a coach. Barber graduated from Upper Iowa in 1995 with a degree in recreation. Barber competed for coaches Mike McCready and Dean Miller from 1991-95 and was a NCAA National Qualifier in 1994.

Barber is the Head Wrestling Coach at the United States Air Force Academy, a position he has held for the last 10 years. He has coached two NCAA All-Americans, 31 national qualifiers, and one World Champion at USAFA. In 2023, his team finished 18th and 21st in 2024, marking the first time in program history with back-to-back top 25 seasons and the 3rd and 4th best season in Air Force Wrestling history. In addition to success on the mat, Barber has mentored the Falcons in the classroom, guiding 17 Falcons to NWCA Scholar All-American honors and 81 wrestlers to academic all-conference teams.

He began his coaching career with the Peacock wrestling program following his graduation and served as the head assistant coach from 1995-99 before being named head coach in 1999 following the sudden passing of Coach McCready midway through the season. After current Head Peacock Wrestling Coach Heath Grimm took over prior to the 2000-01 season, Barber earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and experiential education from Minnesota State University, Mankato while serving as a graduate assistant with the Maverick wrestling squad. Barber was an assistant coach with Augsburg College when they won the NCAA Division III Championships in 2002, 2005 and 2007; he was named the Division III Co-National Assistant Coach of the year in 2006.

Barber’s wrestling resume extends to the international stage, where he was the head coach of the 2015 Junior Pan American Greco team, which finished second in competition. In 2012, he coached the FILA cadet Junior Pan American Freestyle and the 2013 FILA Junior Pan American Freestyle team, which captured gold medals. In 2023, he was the USA's designated coach for the U23 World Championship team, which has four World Champions, including Air Forces' Wyatt Hendrickson. Barber is responsible for coaching fellow UIU Hall of Fame member Jesus Wilson, who placed second in the 1999 World Team Trials.

Sam is about to open his 11^th season leading Air Force, with the first action of the season coming up in less than a month. Sam is married to his wife, Danielle. The pair live in Palmer Lake, Colorado with their daughter Aven.