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Upper weight coaching change?
Here’s the first problem - make a list of guys to consider. Look around on current tournaments including the ncaas. You might many of the coaches are not big dudes.
I’ve got some theories on this. Big guys don’t usually stick around wrestling in the college rooms after they are done. I think it’s because most guys who are over 200 lbs aren’t usually in as good shape as the guy who weighs 160 lbs and getting tossed around by college athletes in the upper weights is brutal on a daily basis. One of my good friends wrestled 197 lbs in college (ncaa finalist in the 1990s) and he coached for a couple years after. He said it was like being in a car accident every day. So my theory is it’s a very thin talent pool and this is one of the reasons.
Very few college programs maintain any dominance over the years in upper weights. If they do it’s because they have a Cael Sanderson or J Robinson in the room and those guys are unicorns who stayed in coaching after the careers.
The talent pool in the upper weights is also very thin as many large athletes play football instead of going into wrestling rooms in college. So recruiting upper whgts is a needle in a haystack exercise for a lot of programs.
So everyone who wants a new upper wght coach might want to make a list of candidates. That list is a lot shorter than looking for a lower wght coach. And the guys often don’t coach for a longtime as getting your ass kicked everyday by current D-1 heavies isn’t for the faint of heart.
Thread Replies (47)
An observation on development.
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 23, 2026 at 04:44 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/23/26 04:44 PM ET
going to vehemently disagree here. coaches absolutely develop these guys
-- HokieToph
Mar 24, 2026 at 11:40 AM ET
HokieToph
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03/24/26 11:40 AM ET
Have wondered - Catka going to Rut
-- Jeffrey4VT
Mar 24, 2026 at 04:23 PM ET
Jeffrey4VT
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03/24/26 04:23 PM ET
Um his best year was a So. % WL and he made RD12 with 3-2 at NCAAs.
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 24, 2026 at 05:15 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/24/26 05:15 PM ET
He did beat the #6 & #11 at NCAAT this year - believe those are
-- 133966Hokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 06:17 PM ET
133966Hokie
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03/24/26 06:17 PM ET
Of course. I wanted Catka to pull it off. True story...
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 24, 2026 at 07:02 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/24/26 07:02 PM ET
Two best examples I have are both rivals: Kasper and Macc
-- Jeffrey4VT
Mar 25, 2026 at 03:20 PM ET
Jeffrey4VT
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03/25/26 03:20 PM ET
Those are two great stand outs especially Macch.
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 25, 2026 at 05:31 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/25/26 05:31 PM ET
David Hoffman, Chris Diaz, Sal Mastriani to name a few VT guys.**
-- HokieToph
Mar 25, 2026 at 11:33 AM ET
HokieToph
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03/25/26 11:33 AM ET
That was a while back. My post was about recent trends. Keep up.**
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 25, 2026 at 03:19 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/25/26 03:19 PM ET
That’s from memory, which isn’t always 100% reliable **
-- emhokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 10:34 PM ET
emhokie
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03/24/26 10:34 PM ET
Looks like Chris made 6th in his Senior year in 2014
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 25, 2026 at 07:07 AM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/25/26 07:07 AM ET
Wow that is an impressive story and great example of development over time.**
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 25, 2026 at 09:54 AM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/25/26 09:54 AM ET
All good. Brainstorming off your last question…
-- 133966Hokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 07:10 PM ET
133966Hokie
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03/24/26 07:10 PM ET
Haught was ranked in the top 10 by his 2nd year**
-- Palmetto Hokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 09:51 PM ET
Palmetto Hokie
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03/24/26 09:51 PM ET
Cat was dragging that leg pretty good after the match!!**
-- wasris
Mar 24, 2026 at 04:45 PM ET
wasris
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03/24/26 04:45 PM ET
Don’t forget that the difference between AA and 1-2 can boil down to
-- TartanHokie
Mar 23, 2026 at 07:24 PM ET
TartanHokie
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03/23/26 07:24 PM ET
That would have been Coach Frank Teske**
-- 94HokieME
Mar 24, 2026 at 08:00 PM ET
94HokieME
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03/24/26 08:00 PM ET
Cheynet didn't coach a bit ... just blew the whistle when it was time to
-- HokieToph
Mar 24, 2026 at 11:23 AM ET
HokieToph
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03/24/26 11:23 AM ET
I am going to vehemently agree with this.**
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 24, 2026 at 04:00 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/24/26 04:00 PM ET
I will change my comment a little. He did roll with some of the guys
-- HokieToph
Mar 24, 2026 at 04:45 PM ET
HokieToph
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03/24/26 04:45 PM ET
Lids aren’t fundamentally different nowadays
-- Mr McGibblets
Mar 23, 2026 at 06:44 PM ET
Mr McGibblets
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03/23/26 06:44 PM ET
Upper weight coaching change?
◄
-- GreenvilleVT
Mar 23, 2026 at 06:59 PM ET
GreenvilleVT
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03/23/26 06:59 PM ET
I don't think we necessarily need a new coach but if I could pick...
-- donjfs3
Mar 23, 2026 at 08:29 PM ET
donjfs3
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03/23/26 08:29 PM ET
There are some very valid points here. I would add that our
-- TartanHokie
Mar 23, 2026 at 07:38 PM ET
TartanHokie
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03/23/26 07:38 PM ET
How about the Wyoming Heavy Coach.
-- 133966Hokie
Mar 23, 2026 at 07:55 PM ET
133966Hokie
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03/23/26 07:55 PM ET
The 197 that Sasso majored? And Carroll was elite coming out of HS. **
-- TartanHokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 02:10 PM ET
TartanHokie
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03/24/26 02:10 PM ET
Yeah-Novak-the AA this year-got 4th only losing to Barr&Little (Champ&3rd)
-- 133966Hokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 04:21 PM ET
133966Hokie
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03/24/26 04:21 PM ET
You’re right. They had a great weekend. But, is it fair to base coaching
-- TartanHokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 04:57 PM ET
TartanHokie
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03/24/26 04:57 PM ET
I’m certainly not basing it on just the weekend.
-- 133966Hokie
Mar 24, 2026 at 06:47 PM ET
133966Hokie
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03/24/26 06:47 PM ET
Don’t really disagree with much here. I just wonder how much more is on
-- TartanHokie
Mar 25, 2026 at 02:53 PM ET
TartanHokie
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03/25/26 02:53 PM ET
Truth and I would add that....
-- Hokie Flyer
Mar 24, 2026 at 07:32 PM ET
Hokie Flyer
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03/24/26 07:32 PM ET
I'm fairness, Carroll was #2 in his class in HS. **
-- Nafeikoh
Mar 24, 2026 at 10:13 AM ET
Nafeikoh
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03/24/26 10:13 AM ET
Wyoming's guy is a grad, and 10+ year assistant at Wyoming I think **
-- donjfs3
Mar 23, 2026 at 08:31 PM ET
donjfs3
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03/23/26 08:31 PM ET
There is definitely some merit to this
-- donjfs3
Mar 23, 2026 at 06:14 PM ET
donjfs3
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03/23/26 06:14 PM ET
This is essentially true... it's more about toughness, heart, & discipline
-- Palmetto Hokie
Mar 23, 2026 at 04:53 PM ET
Palmetto Hokie
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03/23/26 04:53 PM ET