The Iowa women's wrestling program is making a powerful addition to its coaching staff, announcing the hiring of Jenna Burkert as an assistant coach. Burkert steps in to fill the vacancy left by Tonya Verbeek, who recently moved on to a new role with USA Wrestling as a women's freestyle assistant and resident coach.

Burkert brings an impressive resume to the Hawkeyes, highlighted by a bronze medal at the 2021 World Championships. A true veteran of the sport, she has been a four-time World Team member, a nine-time Senior National Team member, and a three-time Junior National Team member. Burkert also finished as the runner-up at the 2021 Olympic Trials in the 57-kilogram weight class, narrowly missing a spot on the Olympic team.

Her final competition as an athlete came at the 2022 World Cup in Coralville, Iowa, making her transition to the Hawkeye coaching staff a fitting homecoming of sorts. The team welcomed her with a social media post, saying, "Welcome to Hawkeye Nation, @TheJokerJB!"

Since 2024, Burkert has been coaching and teaching at Bixby High School in Oklahoma. She started as the associate head coach before being elevated to the top position. Under her leadership, Bixby became the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, and she coached six individual state champions—a testament to her ability to develop top-tier talent.

Before her coaching career, Burkert served as a non-commissioned officer and soldier-athlete in the United States Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) in Colorado from January 2015 to August 2024. A native of Rocky Point, New York, she achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant in 2022, demonstrating the discipline and leadership she now brings to the mat.

With Burkert on board, the Hawkeyes are adding not just a coach, but a proven winner and mentor who knows what it takes to compete at the highest level. This hire signals Iowa's continued commitment to building a championship-caliber program.