November 14, 2011

A coaching change just before the season starts might seem a problem to some, but not to new WVU Tech Head Wrestling Coach Sam Gardner. Gardner, who has assumed coaching duties only in recent weeks, has his focus on the team. Noting that outgoing coach Jake Brumbelow did a good job starting the team from scratch, Coach Gardner sums up his current needs in a few words: "We need middleweights."

Coach Gardner, a native of New Jersey, comes to WVU Tech from D3 school McDaniel College in Westminster Maryland. Gardner spent around ten years in Maryland with that service as coach, and as a collegiate wrestler for Salisbury University.

"Before I was hired, I was told that we had 26 on the roster," noted Gardner. The number now is closer to 13 or so. Gardner notes that the wrestling program is going through a period of reorganization at present, but don't expect the reorganization to take long. "We are going to recruit quality wrestlers where we can find them."