Wrestling layout 04-05 - Home Page Content Goes Here

its first ECWA Championship since 1983 and sent a then school-record
seven wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament. The seven wrestlers were the
most of any school in the conference for the third straight season. Eric
Schmiesing and Roman Fleszar repeated as All-Americans and helped
the team to a 22nd-place finish. Ryan was rewarded for his coaching
ability with his second straight ECWA Coach of the Year award.
Ryan coached his team to an 8-8-1 record and a #25 regular season
national ranking in 1999-2000, placing second at the ECWA
Championships and first at the New York State Championships. The
Pride continued to impress at the ECWA Championships, winning four
individual championships and two runners-up. The four champions were
the most of any school for the second straight season. Each champion
and both runners-up advanced to the NCAA Championships, with
Roman Fleszar and Eric Schmiesing earning All-American status. The
team also won the New York State Championship for the second time in
three years. For his efforts Ryan was named ECWA Coach of the Year.
Ryan led the team to an 11-5 record in 1998-99, placing second at the
ECWA Championships. The 11-5 mark gave the Dutchmen back-to-back
winning seasons for the first time since 1982-83. Hofstra also had
another impressive showing at the ECWA Championships, winning five
individual championships. The five champions, each of whom advanced
to the NCAA Championships, were the most of any ECWA team. Two of
those wrestlers, Eric Schmiesing and Roman Fleszar, advanced to the
NCAA quarterfinals at their respective weight classes. The Dutchmen
followed up their 1998 New York State Championship by placing second
in 1999. Roman Fleszar (133), Jason DeBruin (141) and Russell Jones
(184) each won individual championships and Russell Jones became the
first Hofstra wrestler to be named the New York State Tournament Most
Outstanding Wrestler.
The 1997-98 season was the year that Ryan put Hofstra Wrestling back
on the national scene, leading the team to an 11-6 dual meet record,
including a 7-1 mark in ECWA action and a #24 national ranking. The 11
wins represented the most since the 1982-83 squad had 13. It was also
the first winning season since an 8-6 record in 1993-94. Ryan coached
his charges to a second-place finish at the ECWA Championships and
sent four to the NCAA Championships. For his efforts Ryan was named
the ECWA Co-Coach of the Year. In addition to the team’s success in the
ECWA, Hofstra placed first at the New York State Tournament for the
first time, winning two individual championships. Ryan earned 1998
New York State Coach of the Year accolades following the season.
“I can’t say enough about the staff. Tom is a
great coach who really cares about his
wrestlers. The entire staff is so strong and
my wrestling has reached levels that I never
though possible and I feel it is only going to
get better.”
2003 NCAA qualifier Ricky LaForge
Ryan, a native of Wantagh, New York, was a two-time NCAA Division I
All-American and a member of the University of Iowa’s national
championship teams, under coach Dan Gable, in 1991 and 1992. A
two-time Big Ten Conference champion at Iowa, Ryan wrestled for two
years at Iowa after transferring from Syracuse University. At Syracuse
Ryan captured an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA)
championship in 1989.
Following graduation from Iowa in 1992, Ryan served as an assistant
coach at the University of Indiana for two seasons. His responsibilities
included daily training for all middleweight wrestlers, weight training and
recruiting. Ryan coached two Hoosiers, Scott Petche and Chris Russo,
to All-American honors, as Indiana improved from an unranked program
to 15th in the country. In 1994-95, he worked at the University of Iowa
with coach Dan Gable as he prepared to compete for a position on the
1995 United States World Team.
Ryan, who has been very active on the wrestling camp circuit over the
years, is beginning his 11th year as director of the Elite Wrestling Club
on Long Island and his ninth year as head counselor at the Elite
Wrestling Camp. Legendary coach Dan Gable and world champions
Tom and Terry Brands have visited the Hofstra campus as guest
speakers at clinics held by Ryan. He is also actively involved with the
Ray Downey Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Ryan was a three-time All-Nassau County and All-New York State
selection at Wantagh High School, where he was coached by Bernie
Columbo and assistant Joe Peterson.
TOM RYAN’S COACHING CAREER
Year School Record
1995-96 Hofstra University 3-12
1996-97 Hofstra University 4-13
1997-98 Hofstra University 11-6
1998-99 Hofstra University 11-5
1999-00 Hofstra University 8-8-1
2000-01 Hofstra University 8-7
2001-02 Hofstra University 12-6
2002-03 Hofstra University 13-7
2003-04 Hofstra University 15-5
Career 85-65-1/9 years
HOFSTRA PRIDE WRESTLING
WRESTLING
5