Mike Machholz built and led the men's wrestling program at Missouri Valley College for 30 years.

During his tenure, the program won three national team championships, finished as national runner-up four times and won 11 regional championships.

Machholz coached 17 individual national champions, 37 national finalists, 168 All-Americans and had a career dual record of 224-115-2.

He was a three-time NAIA National Coach of the Year award winner and was a nine-time Regional Coach of the Year. Machholz was a two-time president of the NAIA National Wrestling Coaches Association.

He also was a pioneer in developing the first varsity collegiate scholarship women's wrestling program in the country at Missouri Valley in 1999. He guided the women's wrestling program to a U.S. Open championship, the first collegiate program to accomplish the feat. Machholz also produced 39 All-Americans in women's wrestling.

He retired from coaching the men's wrestling program following the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, and was promoted to athletic director at Missouri Valley later that summer.