By Devin Bonine, Part-Time Staff Writer
Saint Vincent College welcomes new Head Coach Dominick Nania as he takes on the reestablished men’s wrestling team. Coach Nania has an experienced background in the sport of wrestling from playing to coaching, and most recently served as the assistant coach at Seton Hill University for three seasons.
The last time SVC had a men’s wrestling team was from the years 1963-1975. Much talk has grown the past few years about reinstating wrestling once again at the varsity level at SVC. With the encouragement from alumni and students, wishes came true with the addition of a new team and head coach.
A graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University, Nania was the first student athlete commit for the men’s wrestling team and served alongside his school’s first attempt at an NCAA Division II National Title. The experience gained from being the first student athlete on the team will parallel the way Nania constructs the wrestling program and recruits future student athletes.
Coach Nania is excited for the upcoming season and what lies ahead in terms of building a team with a winning tradition.
“We are looking to put guys on the national podium right away,” Coach Nania said in response to what he is looking forward to while developing the sports program.
Because of NCAA requirements, the wrestling team will have a full school year until they are allowed to compete against other schools. Coach Nania will use this time to his advantage by carefully selecting players for the team. “Getting a year to build a successful program is huge because I am able to take my time with the recruiting process and bring the right student athletes here,” Nania said.
Regarding goals and aspirations for the team, Coach Nania is amped up and ready to get the action started as soon as possible. “I am aiming for immediate success,” Coach Nania said regarding plans for the upcoming season.
The same winning tradition on and off the field that Saint Vincent preaches is something Nania wants to uphold within the men's wrestling team. Coach Nania seems confident in the sense that by taking a full year to recruit the right student athletes now, they will have the advantage heading into the next season.
The men’s wrestling team will consist of around 20 to 25 guys with an active roster of 18 players. Saint Vincent College men’s wrestling will be one of four teams in the President’s Athletic Conference during the 2023 season, making it the 20th college in Pennsylvania to participate at the NCAA Division III level.