EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (blugolds.com) – Justin Karkula, assistant coach for Tim Fader and the Blugold wrestling program, is the 2022 Joe Merten Coaching Award recipient. Karkula will be recognized for his award at the Hall of Fame banquet on Friday, October 7. Susan Merten, widow of Joe Merten, will present the award.
The Joe Merten Coaching Award is a $500 cash stipend available to any part-time assistant coach, graduate assistant or community coach in any of the 25 sports in the Blugold sports module. The award is named to honor Blugold basketball Hall of Famer Joe Merten, who died in 2008. According to the family's criteria for the award, the recipient "shall demonstrate a deep commitment to the student-athletes and embody a passion for lifelong learning and the 'love of the game'".
Karkula joined the Blugold coaching staff in 2017 after a successful, four-year career as a Blugold heavyweight. Fader said that Karkula's "impact has been immeasurable." He points out that Karkula has "constant involvement in managing all home events for the wrestling team." Fader considers him an expert with the wrestling software utilized in collegiate wrestling and that has been "crucial in hosting all home duals, the Don Parker Open, the 8 Man Battles and two NCAA Upper Midwest Regional Tournaments."
Besides home event management, Karkula's role within the coaching staff is coordination of academic study tables, technique development with the heavyweight wrestlers and recruiting. Fader pointed out that his work with the study table has yielded 21 Scholar All-Americans for the Blugolds. Karkula has also been instrumental in starting the Blugold Wrestling Club (BWC) on campus. The BWC helps wrestlers in the Eau Claire area learn the Olympic styles of Freestyle and Greco Roman wrestling.
Finally, during the difficult COVID pandemic, Karkula was the COVID protocol manager for the program. According to Fader, Karkula personally administered and recorded thousands of temperatures and was a constant at the door contributing to the safety of all the wrestlers and staff.
During his Blugold career, Karkula amassed 93 victories and qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2015. He also was a University Greco All-American during his career.
Karkula graduated from Oshkosh West High School where he excelled in all three styles of wrestling. He is currently in his second year as a science teacher at Augusta High School. His wife Katherine, also a UWEC graduate, is in her fifth year as a fifth-grade teacher at Robbins Elementary School.
Prepared by Tim Petermann, Sports Information Director emeritus
