Northern State’s new wrestling coach Josh Nolan feels right at home in the Hub City.

Nolan, who was officially introduced as NSU’s ninth wrestling coach on Wednesday, got a taste of the Aberdeen experience when he came to Northern in 2012 and is excited to be back at a place he calls home.

“It’s the people. I’ve always felt at home here,” Nolan said. “When I moved out here from California back in 2012, they took me in and made sure I was alright.”

He recounted a story of a winter where his car was not prepared for the South Dakota elements and how people helped him out without even knowing him.

“That’s what I want to be around,” Nolan said, “and that’s what I want my sons to be able to be around.”

Nolan, who served as an assistant for NSU this past season, is no stranger to wrestling in the community and looks forward to keeping that local talent here and competing for the Wolves.

“We’re definitely looking to keep kids home. Aberdeen has an amazing wrestling culture,” Nolan said. “Between the AYWC (Aberdeen Youth Wrestling Club) and all the surrounding youth clubs, we have a bunch of our college guys that help coach at those programs.”

Nolan has coached 37 All-Americans, 12 NCAA Division II National Qualifiers and numerous state champions. NSU Athletic Director Nate Davis said they didn’t have to search far to get the individual the Wolves wanted.

“We knew what we needed and we knew that we didn’t need to go very far to go get him,” Davis said.

Davis said that Nolan wanted to come to Northern as an assistant back in December.

“He chose Northern,” Davis said. “I think it’s really cool that in kind of a full-circle moment here, that we get to choose him right back and keep him here as a Wolf.”

Nolan said that while the transfer portal has become a big thing in college athletics, he plans to use it sparingly.

“For us, the portal is another resource. It’s a good way to see kids that are looking to be on the move and kids that are out there,” Nolan said. “For us really, it will be more of a spot-filler. We’re not going to try to recruit our whole lineup from the portal. We’re going to use it to fill spots if we need to, but just look at it as another resource.”

Nolan replaces Rocky Burkett who stepped down to become a part of the NSU Foundation.

Nolan said that while becoming the head coach at Northern was always a dream, he had a hard time envisioning it happening.

“It was always a hope. Being a head coach at Northern State University was always something that, it was almost a pipe dream,” Nolan said. “It was something I would love to have happen, but I didn’t really see it coming together, just because I think the world of Rocky Burkett. I know what he’s capable of as a coach and I thought he was going to do it forever. For this to all come together and for me to be able to step in after him, is truly a blessing.”