Omi Acosta enters his 10th season as Head Coach of Life University Men’s Wrestling in 2026–27. Since taking over the program before the 2016–17 season, he has guided the Running Eagles to the 2021 NAIA National Championship, five consecutive NAIA national runner-up finishes (2022–2026), and the 2024 NWCA NAIA National Duals Championship. Through the 2025–26 season, his program has produced 13 individual NAIA National Champions, 78 NAIA All-Americans, 55 Academic All-Americans, 27 National Finalists, and 90 National Qualifiers.
NAIA PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS
Acosta has established Life as a consistent contender in both national championship tournaments and dual-meet competition. In 2024, Life defeated Grand View in the NWCA NAIA National Duals championship match, ending the Vikings’ 11-year National Duals title streak. His teams have also earned multiple conference regular-season and tournament championships.
NCWA MEN’S WRESTLING PROGRAM
In 2024, Acosta established a separate Life University men’s wrestling program competing in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA). The program won back-to-back NCWA national team championships in its first two seasons and also captured an NCWA National Duals championship.
2025–26
Acosta guided Life to a 12–1 dual-meet record and a sixth consecutive conference championship. The Running Eagles finished as NAIA National Runner-Up for the fifth consecutive season, producing 11 NAIA All-Americans and 157-pound national champion Douglas Terry. Life also finished runner-up at the NWCA National Duals.
2024–25
Life captured another conference championship and finished as NAIA National Runner-Up and NWCA National Duals Runner-Up. The team produced 10 NAIA All-Americans.
2023–24
Life completed a 23–0 dual-meet season and captured the NWCA NAIA National Duals
Championship, defeating Grand View in the final. Acosta received the 2024 NWCA NAIA National Coach of the Year honor.
2022–23
The Running Eagles captured another conference title, finished as NAIA National Runner-Up, and advanced to the NWCA National Duals Finals.
2021–22
Following the program’s first NAIA team national title, Life finished as NAIA National Runner-Up and continued its emergence as a perennial contender.
2020–21
Acosta guided Life to its first NAIA National Championship and received NAIA Coach of the Year and USA Wrestling Magazine Coach of the Year recognition.
2019–20
Life advanced to the NWCA National Duals Finals for the second consecutive season, finishing runner-up after victories over nationally ranked opponents including Cumberlands, Campbellsville, and Reinhardt.
2018–19
Life placed third at the NAIA National Championships, its best finish at the time, and produced five All-Americans. Nosomy Pozo won his second consecutive individual title; Randy McCray Jr. and Lucius Van Rensburg were national runners-up.
2017–18
In his second season, Acosta continued developing Life’s recruiting foundation, competitive culture, and national presence.
2016–17
In his first season as head coach, Acosta established the program’s standards for recruiting, athlete development, accountability, and competitive excellence.
PRIOR TO LIFE UNIVERSITY
Before becoming Life University’s head coach in 2016, Acosta served as an assistant coach at Grand View University, contributing to the development of national champions, All-Americans, and championship teams. During the same period, he coached at Viking Wrestling Club and Excel Wrestling Club and served as the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Head Coach at Southeast Polk High School. He also served as an assistant coach at the United States Coast Guard Academy during the 2014–15 season.
COMPETITIVE WRESTLING CAREER
Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in the Dominican Republic, Acosta returned to the United States as a teenager and wrestled at South Dade High School in Homestead, Florida. He earned Florida state placer and high school All-American honors in 2007 and was a member of the 2008 state championship team that defeated Brandon High School.
At Waubonsee Community College, Acosta became a two-time NJCAA All-American and NJCAA national champion. He was inducted into the Waubonsee Community College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. He subsequently wrestled at Grand View University, where he won the 2012 NAIA individual national championship and helped the Vikings win the 2012 NAIA team national championship. Grand View recognized him with its 10 for 10 Alumni Recognition in 2023, and the 2012 championship team was inducted into the university’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU COMPETITIVE CAREER
Acosta remains an active Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor representing Gracie Barra Georgia. He is a two-time IBJJF No-Gi Pan American Champion, having won titles at blue belt and purple belt, and won the 2026 IBJJF World Master Championship. His continued competition reflects a commitment to technical growth and lifelong learning in combat sports.
EDUCATION AND TEACHING
Acosta earned his bachelor’s degree at Grand View University and holds master’s degrees in Coaching Education from Ohio University and Positive Psychology from Life University. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Leadership at the University of the Cumberlands with a Health Science emphasis. Acosta also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Sport Psychology at Life University, where he teaches Sport Psychology and Health Psychology. His academic interests include leadership effectiveness, motivation, resilience, athlete development, and performance psychology.
LUCHA PHILOSOPHY
LUCHA, meaning “struggle” in Spanish, is the guiding philosophy of Life University Wrestling. Built on the belief that struggle creates opportunities for growth, LUCHA emphasizes resilience, accountability, discipline, perseverance, and personal development. The philosophy extends beyond wrestling, encouraging student-athletes to embrace challenges and pursue excellence in athletics, academics, and life.
AWARDS AND COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Life University | NAIA Men’s Wrestling
- 2021 NAIA Team National Champions
- Five consecutive NAIA National Runner-Up finishes (2022–2026)
- 2019 NAIA Third Place
- 2024 NWCA NAIA National Duals Champions
- Five NWCA National Duals Finals appearances
- 13 individual NAIA National Champions
- 78 NAIA All-Americans; 55 Academic All-Americans
- 27 NAIA National Finalists; 90 NAIA National Qualifiers
- Multiple conference regular-season and tournament championships
- Life University | NCWA Men’s Wrestling
- Established separate NCWA men’s program in 2024
- Two consecutive NCWA National Team Championships
- NCWA National Duals Champions
- Individual Coaching Honors
- 2021 NAIA Coach of the Year
- 2021 USA Wrestling Magazine Coach of the Year
- 2021 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year
- 2024 NWCA NAIA National Coach of the Year
- Four-time Appalachian Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2022–2025)
Athletic Honors and Recognition
- 2024 Grand View University Athletics Hall of Fame, 2012 championship team
- 2023 Grand View University 10 for 10 Alumni Recognition
- 2015 Waubonsee Community College Athletic Hall of Fame
- 2012 NAIA Individual and Team National Champion, Grand View University
- NJCAA National Champion and two-time NJCAA All-American, Waubonsee Community College
- 2007 Florida State Placer and High School All-American, South Dade High School
- 2008 Florida State Championship team member, South Dade High School
- Two-time IBJJF No-Gi Pan American Champion (blue belt and purple belt)
- 2026 IBJJF World Master Champion
COACHING EXPERIENCE
- Life University | Head Men’s Wrestling Coach | 2016–Present
- Life University | Founder, NCWA Men’s Wrestling Program | 2024–Present
- Life University | Adjunct Professor of Sport Psychology | 2024–Present
- Grand View University | Assistant Wrestling Coach | 2012–2016
- United States Coast Guard Academy | Assistant Wrestling Coach | 2014–15
- Viking Wrestling Club | Coach
- Excel Wrestling Club | Coach
- Southeast Polk High School | Freestyle and Greco-Roman Head Coach
EDUCATION
- University of the Cumberlands | Pursuing PhD in Leadership, Health Science Emphasis
- Life University | Master’s Degree, Positive Psychology
- Ohio University | Master’s Degree, Coaching Education
- Grand View University | Bachelor’s Degree
