Evan Forde took over the Minot State wrestling program prior to the 2015-16 season, becoming the eighth coach in school history, and the second since the Beavers reinstated the program and moved from NAIA to NCAA Division-II, in 2016.
During the 2023-24 season, the Beaver men's program made Minot State histroy becoming the first program to host an NCAA Championship event as the top teams from the Midwest came to minot in March for the NCAA Super Region V Tournament at the All-Seasons Arena at the North Dakota State Fairgrounds, with berths to the NCAA National Tournament at stake.
Along with hosting regionals, the Beavers also earned a national ranking of No. 25 in the NWCA poll, compiled a 10-7 dual record, finsihed 9th at regionals as a team, and Brendan Barnes (164) and Jake Swirple (285) each earned NWCA national rankings with Swirple climb as high as No. 3 in the nation and Barnes hit No. 8 in the country.
In 2022-23 under Coach Forde's leadership the Beavers had one of their best seasons ever at the NCAA level as 3 individuals advanced to the NCAA National Championship, led by NCAA All-American Jake Swirple, who finished 8th in the country at heavyweight (285). Also advancing to nationals were Oscar Nellis (125) and James Davis (133). The Beavers finished 8-9 in duals, which included program-first wins over MSU Moorhead and MSU, Mankato.
Along with sending 3 wrestlers to nationals, Kelby Armstrong, Logen Fischer, Cayden White, and Swirple all were named to the NWCA Scholar All-American Team, and 4 Minot State wrestlers were named to the NSIC All-Academic Team.
In 2021-22 under Forde's guidance, Minot State went 2-6 in duals, including a 1-5 mark in NSIC action, and finished 9th at the NCAA Super Region V Tournament. Oscar Nellis (125 pounds), Shadi Mitwalli (149 pounds), and Jordan Will (285) led the way for the Beavers, each finishing fifth at the Super Region V Tournament. Will also earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors for the 2nd straight year.
During the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Forde led the Beavers to a 10th-place finish at the NCAA Division II Super Regional V Championships as Minot State went 1-5 overall in dual matches. Minot State wrestlers Oscar Nellis (125), Nathan Baca (157), Keegan Berry (184), and Noe Garcia (197) led the way at the Super Regionals as each advanced to the consolation semifinals. Also, heavyweight Jordan Will earned recognition as a 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-American for the Beavers for his performance in the classroom and on the mats.
In 2019-20, the Beavers saw senior wrestler Dean Arevalo qualify for the NCAA Tournament after completing the season with a 23-3 overall record and going into the post-season as an unseeded competitor prior to the event being canceled due to COVID-19.
The 2018-19 season was another step in the rebuild for Coach Forde and the Beaver wrestlers. The Beavers finished the year 5-10 in duals but had two National Championship qualifiers including Jered Sublet and Jordan Will.
Forde took the program to new heights in the 2017-18 season as he coached Mitchell Eull to All-American honors. Eull earned All-American status after placing sixth at the NCAA Division-II Championships, which marked the Beavers first All-America honor at the NCAA Division II level. Additionally, Eull became the first Minot State wrestler to be named First Team All-NSIC and the first wrestler to win a Super Region title.
The Beavers finished the 2017-18 season with a 3-16 overall record, but registered their first NSIC win since the 2014-15 season.
MSU was 4-16 overall in Forde's second season as head coach, but achieved multiple milestones during the year. MSU sophomore Carlos Toledano became the first individual MSU wrestler since the 1970's to win his weight class at the North Dakota State Bison Open, going 3-0 to win the title at 174 pounds. Minot State also knocked off 19th-ranked Simon Fraser during the regular season, the first ranked win for Forde since taking over.
In his first season with Minot State, Forde earned four victories including one against in-state rival UMary. He coached Minot-native Marcus Polak in his final season as Polak finished in the top 10 in career victories in school history.
Over the past eight seasons, Forde has been associated with Minnesota State University Moorhead for five of them where he served as the Dragons head assistant coach in 2014-15 and was a standout wrestler for MSUM from 2006-11. He served as the team's captain from 2009-11.
In 2014-15, Forde helped the Dragons to an 8-5 record and a 4-4 mark in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. He was also the Club Sport Director within the Intramural department and an adjunct professor at MSUM.
He spent three seasons with Southwest Minnesota State before returning to his alma mater. At SMSU, he served as the graduate assistant coach from 2011-13 and the school's head assistant coach in 2013-14. The Mustangs were 35-17 in three seasons, finishing third in the NSIC in 2013-14.
Forde, a Fargo, N.D. native, won 63 matches in his career and was a four-time National Collegiate Wrestling Association NCAA Division-II All-Academic honoree. He was also named the program's "Hardest Worker" twice.
He earned his Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science from MSU Moorhead in 2011 and graduated with a Master of Science in Education: Sport Leadership and Management from Southwest Minnesota State in 2013.
Evan Forde Career Record (Duals)
| YEAR |
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE |
OTHER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2023-24 |
10-7 |
5-4 (NSIC) |
Host NCAA Super Region V Tournament |
| 2022-23 |
8-9 |
3-6 (NSIC) |
Jake Swirple NCAA All-American; Oscar Nellis, James Davis to NCAAs |
| 2021-22 |
2-6 |
1-5 (NSIC) |
|
| 2020-21 |
1-5 |
1-4 (NSIC) |
|
| 2019-20 |
6-9 |
2-7 (NSIC) |
Dean Arevalo to NCAAs |
| 2018-19 |
5-10 |
2-6 (NSIC) |
Jordan Will, Jered Sublet to NCAAs |
| 2017-18 |
3-16 |
1-7 (NSIC) |
Mitchell Eull NCAA All-American |
| 2016-17 |
4-16 |
0-8 (NSIC) |
|
| 2015-16 |
4-14 |
0-8 (NSIC) |
|
| TOTALS |
34-92 |
15-55 |
|
