Penn State Fayette will add men’s wrestling as an intercollegiate varsity sport for the 2011-12 academic year beginning this fall. The school had been studying the feasibility of starting a wrestling program for the past year.
“I’m very excited to add wrestling to our intercollegiate athletic program,” said Vince Capozzi, the campus’ athletic director. “With the popularity of the sport in our area, it seemed like a natural fit for us.”
The school’s first home match will be Saturday, Nov. 16, when the Roaring Lions host Penn State New Kensington at 7 p.m. in Penn State Fayette’s Community Center Main Arena.
Former Uniontown Area High School head wrestling coach Jerry Simon will lead the fledgling program at Penn State Fayette. Simon graduated from California University of Pennsylvania in 1967 with a teaching degree. He was a three-year member of that school’s wrestling team, serving as captain in his senior season. At Uniontown, Simon spent 25 years as the head wrestling coach, where he also taught French and Spanish for 38 years. He retired from both positions in 2005.
After six years on the sideline, Simon notes he is eager to get back into coaching. “I’m very excited to be a part of starting this program at Penn State Fayette. Penn State has a great wrestling tradition and I’m looking forward to establishing that here at Fayette,” Simon said.
Simon also noted that it is not too late for high school graduates to enroll at Penn State Fayette and participate in the wrestling program this fall.
Capozzi points out, “We are very fortunate to have someone with Jerry’s experience. He is very enthusiastic and really knows the sport.”
The addition of wrestling brings the total number of intercollegiate varsity sports offered at the Fayette campus to nine. The others are women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, co-ed golf, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s softball and men’s baseball.
For more information about the Penn State Fayette wrestling program, visit the school’s athletic website at www.goroaringlions.com or contact the Athletic Department at 724-430-4100, Ext. 4515.