Takedown Report

Maryville announces new wrestling program headed by Mike Denney

Maryville University has announced its intention to field a varsity wrestling program that will compete in NCAA Division II as an independent during the 2011-2012 competitive season. The University has hired legendary wrestling coach Mike Denney to establish the team, effective June 1, 2011.  Denney, whose teams have won three consecutive NCAA Division II National Championships and five in the past six seasons, most recently coached at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). UNO recently announced that it will eliminate its wrestling program as a result of joining NCAA Division I athletics next year.   “Maryville is faced with an extraordinary opportunity, to say the least,” said Mark Lombardi, PhD, president of Maryville. “To create a new varsity athletic program and turn it over to the best coach in our nation is certainly a coup for our University. We enthusiastically welcome Coach Denney to our Maryville community and to St. Louis, and look forward to the beginning of a winning wrestling tradition.”  Denney recently was voted 2011 InterMat Coach of the Year. This award recognizes the top college wrestling coach across all NCAA divisions as determined by a vote by InterMat writers and executives. He was named the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1981, 1991 and 2009.   Denney coached at UNO for 32 seasons. He possesses a career dual record of 314-111-5 (.730). During that stretch, Denney claimed seven national titles: his first in 1991, three in a row from 2004-2006 and in the past three seasons (2009-2011). UNO finished in the NCAA Division II top 10 for all but one season during his tenure. Included in that run are 23 top three finishes and 27 top five placements.  Rest of the Story at  http://www.themat.com/section.php?section_id=3&page=showarticle&ArticleID=23532

May 1, 2011 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized