Gardner-Webb Announces Return Of Dick Wince As Head Wrestling Coach
April 22, 2009 | Wrestling
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb announced Wednesday that
Dick Wince will return as head wrestling coach for the 2009-2010
season.
Wince, who has been a part of Gardner-Webb University wrestling in
some capacity for nearly 20 years, spent the past two seasons as
Director of Wrestling Operations. He spent the previous 17 seasons
as the program's head coach.
Wince replaces Scott Shipman, who resigned his post as head coach
earlier this week.
"We would like to thank Scott Shipman for his tireless efforts in
leading our wrestling program for the past two seasons as head
coach," said Gardner-Webb Vice President for Athletics Chuck Burch.
"His dedication to our student-athletes and the University is
appreciated, and his time spent with the wrestling program, both as
an assistant and head coach, provided several positive memories and
success stories.
"We are also excited with Dick Wince's decision to return to the
head coaching position. He has spent the better part of two decades
nurturing and developing young men at Gardner-Webb, and will
continue to do so at a high level."
Wince, a 1970 graduate of Mount Union College, was in charge of
several transitions for Gardner-Webb's wrestling program, taking
the Bulldogs from NAIA, to NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I
during his tenure as head coach.
Wince's final season, 2005-2006, saw Gardner-Webb send four
wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships. Seniors Daniel
Elliott and Josh Pniewski each earned first-team All-Carolina
honors from the Takedown Report, and Elliott – on the strength
of a 40-4 record – earned a national top-10 ranking.
In addition to his team's success on the mats, Gardner-Webb
excelled in the classroom as well under Wince's watch. In
2004-2005, GWU was honored by the NWCA as an All-Academic top-30
team after positing a team GPA of 2.95 for the year. Eight
wrestlers were named Academic All-America during Wince's tenure as
head coach. That academic success continued under Shipman, with the
2007-2008 team recording the nation's sixth-best cumulative
GPA.
"I've had the privilege of working with Scott for the past seven
years, and greatly value the contributions he has made to me as a
coach and to the wrestling program," said Wince. "I am honored to
once again serve the student-athletes, the program and the
university I love so much. I also hope to continue to guide the
program with the wisdom of Matthew 23:11-12 on a daily basis."
