University of Chicago

Benji Friedl enters his first year as a Volunter Assistant Wrestling Coach at the University of Chicago in the 2025-26 academic year.

Friedl first came to the University of Chicago as a volunteer coach under Coach Kocher from 2017-2019.  He returns to the Maroon Wrestling staff after coaching most recently at Triton College, with prior coaching stops at Heidelberg University and the University of Dubuque. Coach Friedl will be working primarily with the upper weight classes.  Off the mat, Coach Friedl is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Liff Happens.

A Chicago-area native, Benji Friedl competed for Carl Sandburg High School, where he was a state finalist and part of two state championship teams. He went on to wrestle at the University of Illinois, earning 2× freestyle All-American honors.