Bio

Brandon Brissette is in his 15th season as the head wrestling coach at The University of Olivet in 2023-24. He also serves as an instructor in the Health and Human Performance Department.

In 2022-23, Brissette helped the Comets finish second in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) standings. Four wrestlers were named to the All-MIAA team, including Dononvan King who was selected the Most Valuable Wrestler. In addition, Zach Potter received the MIAA Senior Sportsman of the Year award. King finished second in 285-pound bracket at the NCAA Central Regional to advance to the 2023 NCAA Division III Championships where he placed fifth. Academically, seven wrestlers were chosen to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American Team and the team ranked 28th in the Top 30 of the NWCA Scholar All-America Team standings. 

In 2021-22, Brisette led the Comets to a fourth straight MIAA championship. Four wrestlers earned All-MIAA honors, including Owen Guilford who was voted the Most Valuable Wrestler. King finished second in the 285-pound bracket at the 2022 NCAA Division III Championships. In addition, six wrestlers were named the NWCA Scholar All-American Team. As a team, Olivet received the NWCA Scholar All-America Team award after posting the fifth-high GPA among all NCAA Division III wrestling programs.

In a COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, Brissette led the Comets to the MIAA championship. Seven of his wrestlers earned All-MIAA honors, including Hunter Murphy who was named the Most Valuable Wrestler. Two wrestlers -- Zach Wells and Dominick Wilson -- finished fourth at the 2021 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Championships, which took place after the NCAA canceled its championships. Eight wrestlers landed on the NWCA Scholar All-American list.

In 2019-20, Brissette helped Olivet win the MIAA title. He coached four All-MIAA wrestlers and program-record nine wrestlers placed in the top eight at the NCAA Division III Central Regional. In addition, 10 wrestlers were named NWCA Scholar All-Americans. The 10 honorees were the most in school history for a season.

In 2018-19, Brissette led Olivet to the MIAA championship, as the league sponsored wrestling for the first time since 1984. He coached five All-MIAA wrestlers, including Most Valuable Wrestler Tyler Grimsley. Two wrestlers -- Haydn Kinjorski and Trevor Piggott -- advanced to the NCAA DIII Championships. Brissette was named the 2019 NWCA Central Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the NWCA National Coach of the Year.

In 2017-18, Brissette coached Grimlsey who advanced to the NCAA Divsion III Championships.

In 2016-17, Brissette helped three wrestlers advance to the NCAA Divsion III Championships. One of those wrestlers, Davon Jackson, placed eighth to earn All-American honors. In addition, the team placed ninth in the NWCA national academic championship and five wrestlers received NWCA scholar All-American awards from the NWCA. 

In 2015-16, Brissette coached one wrestler at the NCAA Divsion III Championships. Olivet finished 13th in the NWCA national academic championship. In addition, four wrestlers received individual scholar All-American awards.

In 2014-15, Brissettee helped one wrestler compete at the NCAA Divsion III Championships. Olivet was the runner-up in the NWCA national academic championship.

In 2013-14, Brissette and the Comets were ranked as high as No. 4 in the NWCA poll. In addition, he coached five wrestlers, who competed at the NCAA DIII National Championships. Olivet also excelled in the class room, winning the NWCA national academic championship in collegiate wrestling for a second straight year and seven wrestlers earning Scholar All-American honors from the NWCA.

In 2012-13, Brissette helped Olivet climb into the Top 10 the NWCA poll and coached two wrestlers, who advanced to the NCAA Divsion III Championships. In 2011-12, Brissette led Olivet to the NCAA Midwest Regional title and coached five wrestlers, who advanced to the NCAA DIII Championships. Brissette's team placed second in the NWCA national academic championships. For his efforts, he was named the regional and Mid-States Conference Coach of the Year.

During the 2010-11 season, Brissette was also named both the NCAA Midwest Region and Mid-States Conference Coach of the Year. Overall in three seasons, he has coached eight wrestlers, who have advanced to the national championships.

Prior to joining the Olivet staff, Brissette served as an assistant wrestling coach at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, for the four years. During the 2008-09 season, he was the head assistant coach, and for the three prior years, he was the graduate assistant coach. At Heidelberg, Brissette helped the Student Princes win four straight Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament Championships from 2006-09 and the OAC regular season championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009. Heidelberg had five NCAA All-Americans, 17 national qualifiers, NWCA All-Academic selections and three Top 20 team NWCA All-Academic finishes.

Brissette also served the Heidelberg community as an instructor in the Health & Physical Education Department, adviser to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) group and campus security guard.

Brissette also has wrestling coaching experience as the ‘Bergmania’ Satellite & Commuter Camps Coach, and volunteer varsity and junior varsity coach at Ann Arbor Pioneer High School.

A native of Bay City, Brissette earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Wartburg (Iowa) College in 2005 and a master’s degree from Heidelberg in May 2008. While at Wartburg, he was a four-year letterwinner and three-time NWCA All-Academic selection on the wrestling mat. During his time there, the Knights won the NCAA Division III National Tournament Championship and NCAA Division III National Dual Meet Team Championship twice, and were the national runners-up the other two years.

Brissette was named to the Dean’s List seven times, elected to the campus ministry board position of college chaplin during his senior year, was a member of FCA and was wrestling team Bible study leader.

Brissette lives in Charlotte with wife Amber and daughter, Riley, and son, Harvey.