Nebraska assistant coach James Green announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from the Husker staff.
A four-time All-American for Nebraska, Green initially returned in the summer of 2023 to train at the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center, but he was added to the staff shortly after.
Internationally, Green has been excellent for Team USA — he made an astonishing seven World Teams at 70kg and took home World silver in 2017 and bronze in 2015.
Green has been instrumental in the development and success of Nebraska’s middle weights over the past three seasons — Ridge Lovett (149 pounds) and Antrell Taylor (157) both won NCAA titles with Green serving as a coach, mentor and training partner. Also, Christopher Minto placed fourth as a freshman at 165 and second as a sophomore at 174. Still actively competing, Green just won the US Open Championship up at 74 kg and is sitting out to Final X where he will attempt to make his eighth World Team for Team USA.
While I initially returned to Nebraska to train and compete throughout this quad leading up to the LA Olympics, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to join the coaching staff. It’s been a great experience coaching at my alma mater and being part of two historic seasons… pic.twitter.com/beZlkUFWeI
Green will stay in Lincoln to train through the summer and focus on making the World Championships, and he has not stated his next move, but the speculation is that he’s going to join Virginia Tech’s coaching staff, either as its Associate Head Coach or as an assistant — both positions are currently open.
Green previously trained at Virginia Tech at the Southeast Regional Training Center for nearly two years from 2020 through 2022 before being named USA Wrestling’s National Freestyle Developmental Coach. He served in that role for a year before returning to Lincoln in 2023.
Ironically, Green will be replaced on staff by Robert Kokesh, the current NWTC head coach. A former Husker, Kokesh is one of the best Nebraska has ever had. He’s second on the all-time wins chart for Nebraska with his 144-15 career record, giving him the second-best win percentage in program history (.906), just behind current Husker Associate Head Coach Bryan Snyder’s .925 (136-11 career record). Green and Kokesh were the first Huskers to win Big Ten titles, doing so in 2014.
Got our guy❗️Welcome (back) to the family, Robert Kokesh. pic.twitter.com/r0PCcvC3lS
— Nebraska Wrestling (@HuskerWrestling) April 29, 2026
Green actually joined the Husker staff in 2023 to replace Kokesh when he stepped down to take over his family farm. Kokesh had served as an assistant coach for Nebraska from 2016 through 2023, so I anticipate a pretty seamless transition here.
A monster in the top position in college, Kokesh is known for his expertise in coaching guys up there.
With Kokesh taking the assistant spot, that may mean the NWTC will be looking for a new head coach, but that role could also be filled collectively by the staff, especially current assistants Tervel Dlagnev and Kokesh who are the last two guys to have that job before being elevated to full-time assistants.