NWCA: IT's NOT JUST FOR COACHES ANYMORE

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NWCA Recognizes 2004 Coach of the Year Recipients

Manheim , PA ) For the first time in the history of the NWCA Coach of the Year award, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) honored a head coach of the year in each division. The NWCA is proud to announce the five NWCA Head Coach of the Year award winners are Greg Stobel of Lehigh University, Mile Van Hee of Western State College, Dave Mitchell of Luther College, David Ray of Montana State Northern and Jim Ziegler of Northwest Wyoming.

Greg Strobel earned his first coach of the year honors after guiding Lehigh back to national prominence. In his ninth year as Head Coach, Greg Strobel enjoyed his best season by setting numerous Lehigh coaching records. With five All-Americans (2nd-most in LU annals), his team at the 2004 NCAAs scored a school record 77.5 points, 10 more than in 1979. This was the fourth straight Nationals that Greg has coached a finalist, with a total of two champions and four runner-ups. The team's point totals the last three NCAAs represent three of Lehigh's top four ever. His leadership restored the traditional wrestling powerhouse to back-to-back top four finishes--accomplished only once before in Bethlehem, PA, in 1965 and 1966.

At the 100th Anniversary EIWA Championships, Strobel claimed his fourth league title in five seasons while placing all 10 wrestlers for the second time in three years--a feat accomplished only two other times in tournament history. The award is the third-ever won by EIWA coaches, with Lehigh's Thad Turner and Navy's Ed Peery the others.

After leading Western State College to a fourth place finish at the NCAA Division II wrestling Championships, Miles Van Hee was honored as national coach of the year. Van Hee led the Mountaineers to an impressive fourth place finish at the National Championships and Western came home with two individual National Champions (Jared Habberman and Adrian Jiron). The Mountaineers also had four All-Americans and won the RMAC Regular Season Championship with a 10-3 record. Van Hee just completed his seventh season as head coach of the Mountaineers and has a career mark of 38-39-3.

Luther College Head Coach Dave Mitchell was the Division III NWCA Coach of the Year. Mitchell, who just completed his eighth season as head coach led the Norse to an outstanding season with a school record 18 wins in the season. The team was nationally ranked in the top 10 all year. At the NCAA Championships, Luther finished third, the highest finish at the national finale in school history. The Norse sent a record seven wrestlers to the national meet and returned home with five All-Americans, beating the old record of four All-Americans established in 2000 and repeated in 2001 and 2003.

David Ray of Montana-State Northern earned NAIA honors after leading the lights to his fourth National Championships and the school’s sixth title. The lights placed six wrestlers in the finals and captured an unprecedented five individual titles. The Lights had a strong dual meet season going 16-1 with the lone loss coming at the hand of Nationally Ranked Division I program, Boise State University. Ray also coached the nation’s top collegiate wrestler in Emmett Willson. Willson became the first wrestler NAIA wrestler to capture the prestigious Hodge Award. Ray has just completed his 11 th season as head coach.

Winning coach of the year honors for the National Junior College Association was Jim Ziegler of Northwest Wyoming. Ziegler led Northwest Wyoming to a stellar season that culminated in the National Junior College Championship. Ziegler’s team set a NJCAA record with 155.5 points, which was the most ever by a single team in the 44-year history of the event. The team finished the national championship with eight All-Americans and three National Champions. Ziegler’s Trapper team was ranked first all season long.

NWCA President Jack Maughan commented on this year’s recipients, "We could not have had a better and more deserving group of coaches win these awards this year. It is a testament and honor to the coaches, athletes and staff of these programs. Congratulations are in order on behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors to these standout coaches."

Each coach of the year recipient was voted upon by his peers at his respective national championships and the award was sponsored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. While all the award recipients were recognized at their respective championships, they will be formally recognized by the National Wrestling Coaches Association at the 2005 NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis.

InterMat: Inside info from the N.W.C.A

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