8/20/2022 other sports Edit

Rutgers Wrestling promotes Joe Pollard to assistant coach

Lex Knapp • TheKnightReport

Wrestling Analyst

In a press release Friday afternoon, Rutgers wrestling announced that they will be filling their assistant coach vacancy from within the program. Joe Pollard, who has been with Rutgers wrestling in multiple capacities for the last eleven seasons, will be taking on the assistant coaching duties, alongside associate head coach, Donny Pritzlaff, and head coach, Scott Goodale.

The assistant coaching job opened up in July after former Rutgers national championship and four -time All American, Anthony Ashnault, announced that he will be stepping down from coaching to pursue his Olympic and World aspirations.

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Pollard joined the Rutgers wrestling program in 2011 after a tremendous run at TCNJ as an assistant coach under legendary coach, Dave Icenhower. Pollard was named the Division III National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2007, and helped produce 18 Division III All-Americans alongside “Ice”.

Over the last 11 seasons, Pollard has served in a number of roles such as assistant coach, a volunteer assistant, and head coach of the Scarlet Knights Wrestling Club. Most recently, Pollard has been the program’s director of operations over the last five seasons.

In the press release head coach Scott Goodale was very vocal of his support for Pollard, stating he is the most deserving man for the job.

"Nobody deserves this role more than Joe, who has been the heart and soul of this program for more than a decade”, Goodale stated in the press release. "He has dedicated his life to Rutgers Wrestling and the success of our student-athletes both on and off the mat. We're excited for Joe to take on this new opportunity within our program as we continue to build this team into one of the best in the country”.

Since Pollard has been at Rutgers, the program has soared to new heights. In his tenure “On the Banks”, Rutgers has claimed 17 All-Americans, 5 individual conference champions, a program record for dual meet wins, and a top 10 finish at the National Tournament.