Jim Heffernan is in his 12th season as head coach after serving as the top assistant under Mark Johnson for 19 years - 17 at Illinois and two at Oregon State. During Heffernan’s time in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois has finished in the top-10 at the NCAA championships on 13 occasions, and in the top-15 in 19 of the last 23 seasons. Heffernan has been a major factor in the renaissance of the Illinois wrestling program, helping lead the team to its greatest prosperity since the post-World War II era, including a Big Ten title in 2005 and four Midlands team crowns.
Heffernan has coached 70 All-Americans and 215 NCAA qualifiers during his career with the Illini, and has played a major role in the current 28-year streak of the Illini having at least one All-American on the roster. He has also mentored 11 individual national champions since 1995. 157-pounder Isaiah Martinez won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2015 and 2016, joining Jesse Delgado (125, 2013 and 2014), Matt Lackey(165, 2003), Adam Tirapelle (149, 2001), John Lockhart (heavyweight, 2001), Carl Perry (141, 2000), Eric Siebert (150, 1998), Ernest Benion, Jr. (158, 1995) and Steve Marianetti (150, 1995) in earning NCAA titles since 1995.
Heffernan has also guided the Illini to record-setting performances. In 2015, Heffernan coached Isaiah Martinez to the first undefeated season (35-0) by a freshman since Cael Sanderson did so in 1999 at Iowa State. In 2014, Tony Dallago became the Illinois’ all-time leader in career pins (40), while Alex Tirapelle set the school record for career wins (128). As a team, the Illini set the school record for dual victories in a season (16) in 2011.
In 2005, Heffernan assisted Illinois in bringing home its first Big Ten Conference tournament championship in 53 years, as Alex Tirapelle (157) and Friedl (174) took home individual league crowns out of five total finalists for the Illini. For the second season in a row, the Illini won the Big Ten regular-season dual meet title with a near-perfect 7-0-1 record. The team finished sixth at the national tournament after qualifying nine wrestlers, while 125-pounder Ott made a repeat appearance in the finals. The team matched 2004’s achievement of five All-Americans in Ott (2nd, 125), Mark Jayne (7th, 133), Cassio Pero (7th, 141), Friedl (4th, 174) and Brian Glynn (3rd, 184).
A 1987 graduate of the University of Iowa, Heffernan was a four-time All-American, while being a member of three Hawkeye NCAA and four Big Ten championship teams. Heffernan captained the Hawkeyes as a senior and grabbed Iowa’s Male Athlete of the Year honor in 1987. Heffernan was also a four-time Big Ten Conference individual champion while winning an NCAA title at 150-pounds in 1986. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and the National Iowa Varsity Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
Heffernan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Iowa before becoming an assistant coach at Lehigh University in 1988. He remained at Lehigh until moving to Oregon State in 1990. He joined Johnson in Champaign in 1992. Before taking over as head coach in 2009, Heffernan earned national coach of the year honors three times (1995, 2001, 2003).
He also coached the Cadet Wrestling Team at the world championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1992, and the USA World Espoir Team in 1989.
Heffernan graduated from national wrestling powerhouse St. Edward High School (Cleveland, Ohio), where he finished as a two-time high school state champion.
Heffernan and his wife, Rebecca, live in Champaign with their son, Sean, and daughter, Ally.
