Bio

After 38 years, Niagara County Community College (now known as SUNY Niagara) saw a new face on the wrestling mat when Eric Knuutila stepped down and Keith Maute took over in the 2011-12 season. In their first season together, Maute won Coach of the Year and the Thunderwolves won their 18th Region III Tournament together and had 10 qualifiers for the National Tournament and two All-Americans. In December 2023, Maute recorded his 100th win with the Thunderwolves and became the first coach in state history to record the feat at the high school and college levels. In the 2024-25 season, Maute and the Thunderwolves clinched a 27th Region III championship and placed second at the NJCAA Div. III Championships, their highest finish in the 53-year history of the program. 

Maute started his coaching career in 1997 as Assistant Coach at his alma mater, Lancaster High School. In just seven years, he helped Lancaster win seven ECIC Division I Championships and place 2nd in New York State. As a wrestler at Lancaster, he held the Lancaster single-season win record and was a two-time winner of the Empire State Games silver medalist. An injury after high school kept him from continuing to wrestle in college.

After a successful seven years as an Assistant Coach at Lancaster, Maute landed his first head coaching job at nearby East Aurora High School. In five years as the Head Coach at East Aurora, he coached his team to three ECIC Division III Championships and a Section VI title in 2008.

Maute's success at East Aurora landed him the Head Coaching job at Iroquois High School where he added two more ECIC titles to his resume, and a second Section VI Championship in 2011. Maute also was awarded Coach of the Year honors three times in his seven years as a head coach. Along with all the athletic success as Head Coach at East Aurora and Iroquois, Maute stressed an importance of academic success to his players as well. He coached six NYS All-Academic teams, including five in five years at East Aurora.

Maute earned a Physical Education degree through both NCCC and Canisius College. He is married to his wife Stacy and has three children: Joshua, Madison and Dylan.

^Season shortened and condensed due to Covid-19 pandemic.