Pac-12

Pendleton Adds JUCO Power Clackamas Coach Josh Rhoden To Oregon State Staff

Pendleton Adds JUCO Power Clackamas Coach Josh Rhoden To Oregon State Staff

Oregon State announced Wednesday that Josh Rhoden, who led Clackamas Community College to five junior college national titles, has joined the Beavers.

Apr 14, 2022 by Andy Hamilton
Pendleton Adds JUCO Power Clackamas Coach Josh Rhoden To Oregon State Staff

Chris Pendleton took another step in his effort to build a national power in the Pacific Northwest -- he hired a coach who already constructed one. 

Oregon State announced Wednesday that Josh Rhoden, who led Clackamas Community College to five junior college national titles, has joined Pendleton's staff as an assistant. 

Rhoden spent the last 16 seasons at Clackamas and guided the program to junior college titles in each of the last four years. He reflected on the growth of the program and talked about potential opportunities elsewhere last month when he was an On the Mat podcast guest

"There's some opportunities at multiple levels -- a couple last year that we sort of passed on and one or two right now that are pretty serious and right now I'm not sure which direction it's going to take us," Rhoden said. "I think we've been in the right spot for the last 16 years, without question. ... I love Clackamas. I was a student here and we've definitely built this place better than (it was when) we got it. That feels really good."


From Oregon State sports information: 

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State wrestling head coach Chris Pendleton announced Wednesday that Josh Rhoden has been named an assistant coach with the Beavers.

Rhoden joins the program after serving as the head coach at Clackamas Community College since 2006. While there, his teams have won the NJCAA National Championship five times, including the past four years. He's also been named the National Coach of the Year four times, earning that honor in two of the last three years.

"I want to thank both Chris Pendleton and VP/Director of Athletics Scott Barnes for the opportunity to continue to do what I love, as well as, be a part of something special in Corvallis," Rhoden said. "Chris and his staff have things moving in an exciting direction and I feel very blessed to have been asked to join the staff.

"Oregon State and the wrestling community in Oregon have a special place in my heart and I am excited to continue to help move wrestling forward here in our state and throughout the Pacific Northwest."

Rhoden exits Clackamas after posting a 169-36-2 record. In addition to national titles in 2011, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, his Clackamas teams finished as runner ups in 2015, 2017 and 2018. He coached 33 national finalists, 101 All-Americans and 148 national qualifiers.

"I'm excited to get to work Building the Dam with Coach Rhoden," Pendleton said. "His character, work ethic, and approach to building successful young men on and off the mat is exactly what we believe in at Oregon State." 

A Pacific University graduate, Rhoden was a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 2004-05. He then served as the head coach at Redmond High School from 2005-06 before moving to Clackamas in 2006.

Rhoden joins an Oregon State program that produced four All-Americans in 2022, the Beavers' most since 1995. OSU finished 12th nationally, the team's best mark in nearly a decade, and was just half a point shy from winning the Pac-12 Championship. Pendleton, who just finished his second year as the program's head coach, was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year.