Gardner-Webb Elevates Kyle Blevins To Assistant Wrestling Coach
July 21, 2014 | Wrestling
BOILING SPRINGS --- Kyle Blevins has been promoted to the position of assistant coach with the Gardner-Webb University wrestling program after serving as a graduate assistant coach for the past two seasons, announced head coach Daniel Elliott Monday.
"I am excited to bring Kyle [Blevins] on staff as our head assistant," said Elliott. "Over the past two years, Kyle has shown the passion and ability that we are looking to continue to move this program forward. He has invested his last two years here and is committed to the growth of this program, our athletes, and himself every day."
Blevins works with all weight classes at Gardner-Webb, but focuses primarily on the heavier weight classes. The third-year coach helped guide freshman Hunter Gamble to become Gardner-Webb's first-ever Southern Conference Champion in 2012-13.
With Gamble's Southern Conference Championship victory at 174 pounds, he received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championships where he went on to win his first round match to join Eddie McCray and Joshua Pnieswki as the only three Runnin' Bulldog grapplers to earn a win in the Championship bracket at the NCAA Championships.
"After two years of serving the Gardner-Webb University wrestling team as a graduate assistant, I am honored to take on the full time position as Assistant Wrestling Coach," said Blevins. "I hope that the attitude and effort that I bring to every task will help myself, my athletes, and my head coach be successful in all that they do."
Blevins and Elliott continued to make national waves with 165-pound redshirt freshman Austin Trott this past season, as the rookie grappler received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championships and advanced to the second round of the consolation bracket with a 12-4 major decision against Utah Valley's Curtis Cook.
In 2012, he finished fourth-place overall at the 2012 NCAA National Tournament, the highest of any unseeded wrestler in any weight class. Blevins also set program records for wins in a season with 40 victories overall and finished the year ranked No. 15 overall in the nation by both Intermat Wrestling and W.I.N. Magazine.
He has served as a camp counselor at the Appalachian State University Wrestling Camps, where he has helped to manage day-to-day camp activities, assisted the coaches during drills and technique sessions, officiated camp competitions and matches, and assisted in housing responsibilities.
With Gamble's Southern Conference Championship victory at 174 pounds, he received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championships where he went on to win his first round match to join Eddie McCray and Joshua Pnieswki as the only three Runnin' Bulldog grapplers to earn a win in the Championship bracket at the NCAA Championships.
Blevins and Elliott continued to make national waves with 165-pound redshirt freshman Austin Trott this past season, as the rookie grappler received an automatic bid to the NCAA Division I National Championships and advanced to the second round of the consolation bracket with a 12-4 major decision against Utah Valley's Curtis Cook.
In 2012, he finished fourth-place overall at the 2012 NCAA National Tournament, the highest of any unseeded wrestler in any weight class. Blevins also set program records for wins in a season with 40 victories overall and finished the year ranked No. 15 overall in the nation by both Intermat Wrestling and W.I.N. Magazine.
He has served as a camp counselor at the Appalachian State University Wrestling Camps, where he has helped to manage day-to-day camp activities, assisted the coaches during drills and technique sessions, officiated camp competitions and matches, and assisted in housing responsibilities.
