| Steve Garland |
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Steve Garland, a former All-American at the University of Virginia, enters his first season as the head wrestling coach at his alma mater. He was appointed to his post byAthletics Director Craig Littlepage on Apr. 20, 2006. Garland served the last six seasons as an assistant coach at Cornell University, where he helped the Big Red to four consecutive top-11 finishes at the NCAA Championships. He spent the last four seasons as the top assistant under 2005 NCAA Coach of the Year, Rob Koll. Garland was named the 2005-06 NCWA Assistant Coach of the Year after helping the Big Red to a top-five finish at the NCAA Championships. He also is a member of the 50th Anniversary Atlantic Coast Conference Team.
Over the past six years, Garland helped the Cornell wrestling program move into the national spotlight. He has coached 17 All-Americans, four NCAA Finalists and 46 NCAA qualifiers.
The Cornell wrestling team has finished in the top five at the NCAA Championships two years in a row and have finished in the top 11 at the NCAA Tournament for four straight years. The Big Red won five of the last six Ivy League titles. He has worked closely with and been integral in the development of four-time All-American (2001-05) and two-time NCAA Champion Travis Lee and true freshman NCAA finalist Troy Nickerson (2006).
As the recruiting coordinator the last four years, he has helped bring in two top-five recruiting classes, which included three high school national champions, four junior national champions and numerous state champions. His 2005-06 class was ranked second nationally and included the No. 1 recruits at their weight classes in Nickerson (125 pounds) and Adam Frey (130 pounds).
Garland, a 2000 Virginia graduate, was a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference finalist and winner of the ACC tournament at 125 pounds in 1997. He qualified for the NCAA tournament in each of his three years of competition. At the 2000 NCAA tournament, Garland earned All-America honors, falling in the national title match after he upset the top seed, Jody Strittmatter of Iowa, 9-7 in overtime. Garland ranks sixth all-time in UVa career wins (91).
In 2000, he was also named the ACC Wrestler of the Year. In his career, he compiled 91 wins, including a 30-5 mark during his senior season, when he competed in the NWCA All-Star meet.
Garland (29) and his wife, English, are the proud parents of a daughter, Sarah.
Contact Steve Garland by phone at 434-982-5738 or via email at sjg4k@virginia.edu.
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