North Carolina hires Kolat
CHAPEL HILL - Cary Kolat, former two-time NCAA champion and member of the 2000 United States Olympic Wrestling Team, is returning to UNC as Director of Wrestling Operations, Tar Heel head coach C.D. Mock announced. Kolat will also be the director and head coach of the North Carolina Olympic Training Center based in Chapel Hill.
Kolat was on the UNC staff for two years in 2002-03 and has worked on collegiate staffs at Lehigh, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Lock Haven, his alma mater. For the past two years, Kolat has been directing a private wrestling club in Maryland and operating Kolat.com, a wrestling training site.
"We are thrilled to have Cary back at Carolina," says Mock. "He's been an assistant coach at several other top wrestling schools. As director of the new Olympic Training Center, Cary brings some tremendous opportunities to our state. He is one of the premier trainers in the nation. Last year he coached Team Maryland in the Cadet and Junior National Championships and they performed exceptionally well.
"The Training Center is going to be an asset for amateur wrestlers and coaches throughout the state. There is so much to offer here; I am certain that Olympic hopefuls will come to Chapel Hill to train with Cary and other members of the Club."
Kolat won NCAA championships in 1995 and 1996 at Lock Haven and finished second as a freshman at Penn State in 1993. He finished his collegiate career with a 111-7 record. He went 137-0 in high school, winning four Pennsylvania state titles. In addition to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Kolat competed for the United States in a dozen other international competitions.
"Getting back to Chapel Hill has been a priority of mine, so to work with Coach Mock and his staff is a real privilege," says Kolat, who won World Cup gold medals from 1998-2000 and finished in the top four at the World Championships on three separate occasions. "Directing the Olympic Training Center gives me a chance to make a positive impact on my sport and help amateur wrestlers and coaches from around the state. The Training Center will not only attract some of the best wrestlers from around the country at the senior level, but will also help boost wrestling in North Carolina at all levels. Local athletes can watch, learn from, and train with some of the best wrestlers competing to make the 2012 Olympics and other international teams."
Kolat was on the UNC staff for two years in 2002-03 and has worked on collegiate staffs at Lehigh, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Lock Haven, his alma mater. For the past two years, Kolat has been directing a private wrestling club in Maryland and operating Kolat.com, a wrestling training site.
"We are thrilled to have Cary back at Carolina," says Mock. "He's been an assistant coach at several other top wrestling schools. As director of the new Olympic Training Center, Cary brings some tremendous opportunities to our state. He is one of the premier trainers in the nation. Last year he coached Team Maryland in the Cadet and Junior National Championships and they performed exceptionally well.
"The Training Center is going to be an asset for amateur wrestlers and coaches throughout the state. There is so much to offer here; I am certain that Olympic hopefuls will come to Chapel Hill to train with Cary and other members of the Club."
Kolat won NCAA championships in 1995 and 1996 at Lock Haven and finished second as a freshman at Penn State in 1993. He finished his collegiate career with a 111-7 record. He went 137-0 in high school, winning four Pennsylvania state titles. In addition to the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Kolat competed for the United States in a dozen other international competitions.
"Getting back to Chapel Hill has been a priority of mine, so to work with Coach Mock and his staff is a real privilege," says Kolat, who won World Cup gold medals from 1998-2000 and finished in the top four at the World Championships on three separate occasions. "Directing the Olympic Training Center gives me a chance to make a positive impact on my sport and help amateur wrestlers and coaches from around the state. The Training Center will not only attract some of the best wrestlers from around the country at the senior level, but will also help boost wrestling in North Carolina at all levels. Local athletes can watch, learn from, and train with some of the best wrestlers competing to make the 2012 Olympics and other international teams."