Central College President Mark Putnam has appointed Eric Van Kley to the new position of vice president for athletics.

Van Kley has served as the college’s athletics director since 2012 and as head wrestling coach since 2007. With his expanded duties, Van Kley will give up his coaching responsibilities.

Van Kley will become a member of the college’s Senior Leadership Team after having served the team in a steadily increasing capacity in recent years. In addition to providing strategic budget planning and financial oversight, Van Kley will devote increased time to fostering relationships with the college’s supporters and helping raise funds for continued development of the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex. He’ll work with the advancement office in developing corporate support while teaming with the enrollment management staff to help create and implement recruitment strategies. 

Van Kley helped oversee the Forever Dutch® initiative, an $18 million renovation and expansion of P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium completed in 2021, as well as the more recent renovation of the Ron Schipper Fitness Center in 2023. He also orchestrated a new athletics branding initiative throughout the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex, helped the college’s athletics teams navigate the global pandemic and effectively took on a growing role in athletics fundraising.

A Rock Valley, Iowa native, Van Kley is an honors graduate of Minnesota State University-Mankato, where he was a three-time letterwinner and served as team captain. He received a master’s degree at Duquesne University (Pa.). Van Kley is a respected voice on the national level, having served four years on the NCAA Division III Wrestling Committee, including a year as chair, and served a year as president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. 

A search for a new head wrestling coach is already underway.