Coaches Profiles

Head Coach - Ron Gaffner

Coach Ron Gaffner returns for his 25^th year as the head coach of the 2009-2010 Muskegon Community College wrestling program. He is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a BS degree in Education and an MA in Athletic Administration.

During his tenure as head coach of the Muskegon Community College wrestling program, the Jayhawks have acquired 318 dual meet victories, with Coach Gaffner placing third among NJCAA coaches in total wins. His teams have placed in the top ten of the national tournament eleven times. They have won 6 MCCAA championships, 13 NJCAA Region XII championships, and have had 7 individual national champions and 59 All-Americans. Over 100 of his wrestlers have earned Academic All-American status.

Coach Gaffner was selected MCCAA Coach of the Year six times, Region XII Coach of the Year thirteen times, and NJCAA Coach of the Year once. He has been an active participant in the National Junior College Coaches Association where he held the office of secretary/treasurer, vice president, and president four years. He was NJCAA Man of the Year in 1981, is a member of the NCAA National Wrestling Hall of Fame, NJCAA Hall of Fame, Michigan Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, and Greater Muskegon Area Hall of Fame. Mr. Gaffner lives in Whitehall with his wife Nadine.

Assistant Coach - Omar Ortiz

Coach Ortiz, a recent graduate of William Penn University in Iowa is a great asset to the coaching staff, and is currently an adjunct strength training instructor. Omar was a two time All-American for the Jayhawks before going to Iowa to finish his academic/athletic career. Coach "O" is from Fremont, Michigan, where he was 2nd in the MHSAA State Championships.

Volunteer Assistant Coach - Larry Haughn

Coach Haughn begins his first season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Jayhawks. Haughn comes to MCC following a successful scholastic coaching career, where he developed two high school programs, each reaching top ten finishes at the MHSAA state tournament. Twenty-two of his wrestlers earned All-State honors, with five reaching the MHSAA state finals. In 2007, Coach Haughn received MHSAA Regional Coach of the Year honors.

Originally from Traverse City, MI, Coach Haughn was a two-time MHSAA state champion, a two-time freestyle national qualifier and placed third in the Canadian Junior Nationals. Larry and his three brothers all wrestled for their father, Ed Haughn, a member of the Michigan Wrestling Association Hall of Fame. While attending the University of Michigan, he placed fourth in the Big Ten tournament and was an NCAA national qualifier in 1980. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan, and received his Master’s of Arts in Educational Leadership from Central Michigan University.

Larry has five children, Sarah, David, Heidi, Loren and Ethan. He resides in Whitehall with his wife, Vicki.

Volunteer Assistant Coach - Mark Brunger

Coach Brunger is in his first year as a volunteer assistant coach of the Muskegon Community College Jayhawk wrestling team. He has spent the previous 3 years as head coach of the Orchard View Cardinals. Overall Mark has 11 years experience coaching wrestling at the high school varsity level.

Mark is a graduate of Grand Valley State University with a BS degree in Physical Education and is currently working towards an MA in Education Leadership. He attended Muskegon Community College from 1991-93 where he wrestled for Coach Gaffner earning Academic All-American honors.

Mark has been teaching elementary Physical Education in Muskegon Heights since 2005. He lives in Fruitport with his wife Cristy and son Reese.