Nassau County College Starts Historic Women's Wrestling Program
Nassau County College Starts Historic Women's Wrestling Program
The Nassau Community College athletics department is taking a big step forward for a new generation of female athletes. Women's wresting will be coming to Nassau this fall as a varsity sport.
Courtesy of Nassau Community College
GARDEN CITY, NY -- The Nassau Community College athletics department is taking a big step forward for a new generation of female athletes. Women's wresting will be coming to Nassau this fall as a varsity sport.
"We are committed to be in the forefront for women's athletics," NCC Athletic Director Kerri Ann McTiernan said. "Women's wresting is a growing sport, and we are proud to have this team be part of our national award-winning wresting family."
Nassau Community College men's team head coach and NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Famer Paul Schmidt will oversee the women's program, while former NCC wrestler Sam Thomas will serve as the head coach for the new team.
"What makes me really excited about running the women's program is we will be starting our own history," Thomas said. "The men's team has been very successful, and we are looking to create our own history. And when I am out recruiting, each member I add is going to be part of history, not just for our team or for NCC but this is a new step for the country."
Schmidt, who was the driving force in bringing the women's wrestling program to campus, has been part of the NCC coaching staff for over 30 years. As head coach, he has led his teams to eight national titles, been named the National NJCAA Coach of the Year seven times, and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015.
"I am very excited about bringing women's wrestling program to NCC," Schmidt said. "We will share the talents of our entire men's wresting coaching staff to build our new women's wresting team. We are all committed to the success of the women's program."
Additionally, former two-time world champion, European champion, and Olympian Vougar Orounjov will be working hand-in-hand with training and coaching the women's team's wrestlers.
"We don't have women's wrestling in Long Island -- we have the athletes but not a program for them," said Vougar when asked about the status of Long Island and women's wrestling. "I am very excited we now will have a place for them to compete and eager to start the new program."
Women's wrestling has been gaining a lot of traction nationally, and the NCAA is now reviewing whether to add the sport to its list of varsity programs.
GARDEN CITY, NY -- The Nassau Community College athletics department is taking a big step forward for a new generation of female athletes. Women's wresting will be coming to Nassau this fall as a varsity sport.
"We are committed to be in the forefront for women's athletics," NCC Athletic Director Kerri Ann McTiernan said. "Women's wresting is a growing sport, and we are proud to have this team be part of our national award-winning wresting family."
Nassau Community College men's team head coach and NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Famer Paul Schmidt will oversee the women's program, while former NCC wrestler Sam Thomas will serve as the head coach for the new team.
"What makes me really excited about running the women's program is we will be starting our own history," Thomas said. "The men's team has been very successful, and we are looking to create our own history. And when I am out recruiting, each member I add is going to be part of history, not just for our team or for NCC but this is a new step for the country."
Schmidt, who was the driving force in bringing the women's wrestling program to campus, has been part of the NCC coaching staff for over 30 years. As head coach, he has led his teams to eight national titles, been named the National NJCAA Coach of the Year seven times, and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015.
"I am very excited about bringing women's wrestling program to NCC," Schmidt said. "We will share the talents of our entire men's wresting coaching staff to build our new women's wresting team. We are all committed to the success of the women's program."
Additionally, former two-time world champion, European champion, and Olympian Vougar Orounjov will be working hand-in-hand with training and coaching the women's team's wrestlers.
"We don't have women's wrestling in Long Island -- we have the athletes but not a program for them," said Vougar when asked about the status of Long Island and women's wrestling. "I am very excited we now will have a place for them to compete and eager to start the new program."
Women's wrestling has been gaining a lot of traction nationally, and the NCAA is now reviewing whether to add the sport to its list of varsity programs.