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Greensboro College Welcomes Justin Harty as Head Wrestling Coach

by Matthew Johnson

Greensboro, NC (04/01/2022) — Greensboro College is pleased to announce the appointment of Justin Harty as Head Coach of the Men's and Women's Wrestling programs. Harty comes to Greensboro College after being the head coach at Northern Guilford High School where, in 2020, he led the Nighthawks to an NCHSAA State Dual Team Wrestling Championship in just his third season at the school.

During his five-year stint at Northern Guilford, the program recorded a 121-15 dual-team record, while capturing three conference and two regional championship titles. He inherits a Pride program that qualified two men and two women for the 2022 NCAA III National Championships. As a team, the Pride men placed 11th out of 20 teams in the NCAA III Southeast Regional Tournament.

A native of South Dakota, where he was a three-time All-State wrestler and a state champion discus thrower, Harty has an exceptional pedigree as an athlete and coach. He finished his UNC wrestling career as a four-time NCAA Division I All-American, and was a four-time ACC undefeated champion for the Tar Heels, leading them to four consecutive conference titles. He also earned four NCAA Academic All-America honors. As a student leader, Harty was voted by the UNC student-athletes and coaches to be President of the Monogram Club, which is the voice for all UNC Tar Heel student-athletes on the Athletics Council.

Harty began his collegiate coaching career at Boston College where he served as an assistant wrestling coach from 2000-2003. He returned to his alma mater to serve as a volunteer assistant for the next seven years. While at UNC, he served in the official Tar Heel Summer Wrestling Camps as a Wrestling Technician. He founded and directed two youth wrestling clubs, beginning with the CORE Wrestling Club in Charlotte and later Greensboro, and in 2019 founded the SPARTAN ELITE Wrestling Club where he remains as President. Harty holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNC-Chapel Hill where he was a double major in Psychology and Communication.

"Greensboro College could not be more thrilled to have Justin Harty join our Pride family," said Director of Athletics Kim Strable. "He is a born leader who has excelled at all levels, and his passion for and commitment to wrestling is unmatched. We expect both our men's and women's programs to grow and prosper under his leadership."

Harty inherits a young program at Greensboro College, with the men's team starting in the 2015-2016 school year, and the women's program launching in 2020. This past season, The Pride men's squad competed in the NCAA III Southeast Regional in Pennsylvania, finishing 11th. However, two wrestlers, rising junior Joshua Wilson and rising senior Hai Siu, earned their way into the 2022 NCAA III National Championships in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Josh Wilson earned All-America honors with a 5th place finish, defeating the #8, #7, and #3 seeded wrestlers, the highest finish of any wrestler in Greensboro College history. Siu finished in the top 12 of his weight class as well.

On the women's side, rising junior Ariana Wolkerstorfer and rising sophomore Isabella Ruiz used the NCAA III Southeast Regionals as a launching pad to become the first women's wrestlers representing colleges in North Carolina. In the regionals, Wolkerstorfer finished fourth place overall and Ruiz placed fifth to qualify for nationals in Adrian, MI.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING

"Justin Harty was one of the winningest wrestlers in UNC wrestling history, becoming a four-time All-American and a National Runner-Up. He was also a four-time Academic All-American, the only wrestler at the University of North Carolina to obtain both distinctions. Justin was admired by his teammates and was elected captain his senior year. He also served as the representative for all UNC athletes on the Athletic Council. I am extremely proud of all he accomplished as a student-athlete, but also his business success after graduation. I am excited to hear he will be the next Greensboro College Wrestling coach. It is a great academic school and I feel Justin will fit right in."

Bill Lam

Legendary UNC Head Wrestling Coach

NWCA "NCAA D1 NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR"

NC CHAPTER, NATIONAL HALL OF FAME

"Justin Harty is the right person for the Job at Greensboro College! Justin grew up with Midwestern values and principles and after high school, took his talents to UNC. He knows the community well and the wrestling community in the area also knows him well. With Justin's relationships in the area, his wrestling knowledge, and his value system, it makes him the perfect fit for Greensboro College Wrestling."

Terry Steiner

USA WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH (Since 2002)

1998 INDUCTEE, NORTH DAKOTA SPORTS HALL OF FAME

"I'm excited for Justin Harty, as he is a great hire for the Head Men's & Women's Wrestling Coach at Greensboro College! Having coached Justin at UNC, where he was a 4X All-American, NCAA Finalist, 4X ACC Champion & 4X Academic All-American, I feel he is well prepared for success at the collegiate level. He has been a successful leader in the wrestling world and is very familiar with creating a winning culture! Justin knows how to build winning teams, and I'm excited to see him lead the Men's & Women's Program at Greensboro College to the next level."

Kendall Cross

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

HEAD WRESTLING COACH OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER

"Greensboro College is blessed to be getting Justin Hardy as not only their Men's and Women's Wrestling Coach but, a Leader! Justin is someone who's going to fight for his student-athletes, represent the Greensboro community in a first-class manner, and lead with integrity. Justin will put his Midwest work ethic to work and build relationships that will impact Greensboro College in so many positive ways. Justin has a contagious personality and endless energy that will attract many fine student-athletes to Greensboro College. Looking forward to the many great memories Justin and his staff will bring to Greensboro College."

Mark Manning

HEAD WRESTLING COACH - UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Greensboro College provides a liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.Founded in 1838 and located in downtown Greensboro, the college enrolls about 1,000 students from 29 states and territories, the District of Columbia, and seven foreign countries in its undergraduate liberal-arts program and six master's degree programs. In addition to rigorous academics and a well-supported Honors program, the school features a 17-sport NCAA Division III athletic program and dozens of service and recreational opportunities. Learn more at greensboro.edu.

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