Former Iowa wrestler Ruben Chavez providing helping hand to Texas USA Wrestling teams

06/26/2025 9:42 AM

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New coach Ruben Chavez at Murray State College
Chavez’s coaching background and connections to Thunder Wrestling Club
$2.3 million renovation of former military armory into wrestling facility
Aggies have 13 men and 15 women on roster for inaugural season
Location of college near Texas/Oklahoma border and casinos may attract Texas wrestlers

The trip to the Junior Duals showcased not only the talent across the state on the mat, it also showcased some new faces coaching the teams.

One of the new faces this summer is Ruben Chavez, who will be coaching this winter at Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. He comes to the junior college after being the women’s coach this past school year at Friends University in Wichita.

Chavez had prior coaching stops including the Iowa City MatPac Wrestling Club, the Ubasa Wrestling Academy, Iowa City High School and the Carrollton Thunder Wrestling Club. He was also on the Iowa roster from 2003-06 and was a Hawkeye Wrestling Club member from 2009-11. Chavez produced a record of 112-18 at West Liberty High School and was a three-time state qualifier at West Liberty, along with a pair of all-state finishes — third and fifth.

The connection to the Carrollton Thunder Wrestling Club helped pave the way for his new job, working with head coach Paul Mayfield at Murray State College. Mayfield has been the girls’ head wrestling coach at Bixby High School since 2022.

Mayfield is friends with Clay Goodloe, now the Rockwall wrestling coach. Prior to the switch this spring, Goodloe was the head coach at Carrollton Creekview and had interactions with Chavez when he was helping with the Thunder Wrestling Club.

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