Makovsky has constructed a 313-145-3 record with Minnesota State. His overall career record sits at 336-164-4 (Makovsky also coached at Valley City State for four years prior to MSU where he posted a 23-19-1 record).
A Wahpeton, N.D., native, Makovsky graduated from Valley City State in 1989 before earning his Master’s Degree in 1996 at MSU.
Makovsky reached the 100-win plateau with the Mavericks during the 1998-99Â campaign with a 39-10 victory over Southwest Minnesota State. The 200
th overall win of his career during came during the course of the 2007-08 season, and notched his 200
th win as the head coach of the Mavericks in 2008-09. He reached the 300-win plateau on Jan. 31st, 2019 when the Mavericks registered a 22-18 home win over the University of Mary. His 300th win as Maverick head coach came in 2023-24 with a 50-0 victory over Arizona Christian University (Dec. 16) in Peoria, Arizona.
Makovsky guided the Mavericks to a 7-6 overall record in 2023-24, including a 3-2 record at Taylor Center in Mankato. The Mavericks improved to 8-5 in 2024-25 duals (including 5-4 in NSIC competition) and sent three wrrestlers to the NCAA Championships, including All-Americans Caleb Meunier and Drake Hayward.
Makovsky and the Mavericks have been one of the most successful programs at the National Wrestling Coaches Association National Dual Championships with Minnesota State posting a seventh-place finish at the event in 2011 after back-to-back third-place finishes in 2010 and 2009. MSU won the tournament in 2008 and prior to that finished no worse than fifth as they were fourth in 2007, second in 2006, and fifth in 2005.
Along with coaching 12 national champions and 97 NCAA II All-Americans, Makovsky has been named conference
Coach of the Year three times (2007-09) and coached two conference championship teams (2007 North Central Conference champions, 2009 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference champions). He was named NCAA DII Region Coach of the Year in 2019. Makovsky has helped lead the Mavericks to 15 top-eight NCAA II national finishes while also winning three consecutive NCAA DII Super Region Three championships from 2007-09. Including a pair of second-place finishes in 1993-93 and 2007-08, Makovsky has guided the Mavericks to 18 top-ten finishes at the NCAA Division tournament.
Under his tutelage, Makovsky has coached many successful individuals with the Mavericks including two-time heavyweight national champion
Troy Kenning, three-time All-American and national champion
Troy Szydel, four-time All-American and national champion
Matt Petsinger, three-time All-American and national champion
Andy Pickar, four-time All-American and national champion
Jason Rhoten, along with
Trevor Turriff and
Darrell Mason, who both captured national championships in 2022.
Inducted into the NCAA DII Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2013 and a
2008 North Central Conference Legacy Award recipient, Makovsky has served on the National Wrestling Coaches Association board of directors since 2003 and also served a stint as president of the organization. Makovsky was selected as the honorary coach for the 2009 NCAA I All-Star Meet at the Ohio State University and in 2019 he was named the 2019 NWCA NCAA DII Super Region V Coach of the Year.
Makovsky played an instrumental role in Minnesota State securing and hosting the 2004 NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships and planning and designing the 4,000 square-foot Rummy Macias Wrestling Room.
Makovsky and his wife, Dawn, make their home in Mankato and have two sons, Nicholas and Lucas, and a daughter, Mia.
Jim Makovsky at Minnesota State Year-By-Year
| Year |
Matches |
Wins |
Losses |
Ties |
W% |
National Finish |
| 1993-94 |
14 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
0.857 |
2nd (NCAA) |
| 1994-95 |
14 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
0.643 |
6th (NCAA) |
| 1995-96 |
16 |
13 |
3 |
0 |
0.813 |
8th (NCAA) |
| 1996-97 |
22 |
14 |
8 |
0 |
0.636 |
17th (NCAA) |
| 1997-98 |
19 |
16 |
3 |
0 |
0.842 |
7th (NCAA) |
| 1998-99 |
18 |
10 |
8 |
0 |
0.556 |
6th (NCAA) |
| 1999-00 |
20 |
12 |
8 |
0 |
0.600 |
7th (NCAA) |
| 2000-01 |
20 |
12 |
6 |
2 |
0.650 |
6th (NCAA) |
| 2001-02 |
13 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
0.769 |
15th (NCAA) |
| 2002-03 |
12 |
8 |
4 |
0 |
0.667 |
15th (NCAA) |
| 2003-04 |
14 |
8 |
6 |
0 |
0.571 |
17th (NCAA) |
| 2004-05 |
19 |
16 |
3 |
0 |
0.842 |
3rd (NCAA) |
| 2005-06 |
16 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
0.875 |
5th (NCAA) |
| 2006-07 |
19 |
16 |
3 |
0 |
0.842 |
4th (NCAA) |
| 2007-08 |
22 |
20 |
1 |
1 |
0.932 |
2nd (NCAA) |
| 2008-09 |
16 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
0.750 |
3rd (NCAA) |
| 2009-10 |
14 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
0.643 |
6th (NCAA) |
| 2010-11 |
14 |
9 |
5 |
0 |
0.643 |
10th (NCAA) |
| 2011-12Â |
14 |
5 |
9 |
0 |
0.357 |
23rd (NCAA) |
| 2012-13 |
13 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
0.769 |
8th (NCAA) |
| 2013-14 Â Â |
12 |
3 |
9 |
0 |
0.250 |
DNP |
| 2014-15 Â Â |
8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
0.625 |
17th (NCAA) |
| 2015-16 |
14 |
10 |
4 |
0 |
0.714 |
t-9th (NCAA) |
| 2016-17 |
14 |
10 |
4 |
0 |
0.714 |
t-14th (NCAA) |
| 2017-18 |
11 |
7 |
4 |
0 |
0.636 |
10th (NCAA) |
| 2018-19 |
11 |
9 |
2 |
0 |
0.818 |
31st (NCAA) |
| 2019-20 |
13 |
10 |
3 |
0 |
0.769 |
             No championship held |
| 2020-21Â Â Â Â |
6 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0.833 |
10th (NCAA) |
| 2021-22 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
0.250 |
7th (NCAA) |
| 2022-23 |
12 |
5 |
7 |
0 |
0.417 |
25th (NCAA) |
| 2023-24 |
13 |
7 |
6 |
0 |
0.538 |
DNP |
| 2024-25 |
13 |
8 |
5 |
0 |
0.615 |
DNP |
| Totals |
461 |
313 |
145 |
3 |
0.683 |
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