Pitt Wrestling Welcomes Familiar Face to Coaching Staff
9/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Wrestling
VIDEO: Pitt Unlimited
PITTSBURGH – A 2015 National finalist and ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year, Tyler Wilps embarks on a brand new journey with the Pitt wrestling team as the volunteer assistant coach.
“I became a man while wrestling for Pitt and I am a compilation of all of the great people that helped me along the way,” Wilps said. “As a coach, I hope I can have some of the impact that the Pitt wrestling program has had on me.”
Head wrestling coach Jason Peters announced on Monday that Wilps will join the staff as the volunteer assistant coach.
“I think it’s great to bring Tyler back,” Peters said. “We look forward to working with him in this new role. He can show some guys the way he handled himself both on and off the mat. We’re going to ask a lot out of Tyler.”
The Chartiers-Valley native plans to attend medical school in the fall of 2016, but decided to gain some valuable coaching experience before returning to the classroom.
Wilps will transfer his leadership qualities from the mat to the coaching ranks and will provide invaluable experience and knowledge to the group of current Panthers.
“I think he’s ready to give back and help the guys grow and obtain some of their goals,” Peters said.
After closing out his prolific career at Pitt, the two-time All-American spent the summer traveling the world.
“The whole experience has been humbling,” Wilps said. “The realization that everyone is unique in his or her situation and struggles reinforces that I am just a small piece in a much larger puzzle.”
Wilps plans to apply his refreshing new outlook on life and wrestling now that he has returned to the Fitzgerald Field House. He knows what the wrestlers are capable of and wants to give back to the program that gave him so much.
“I think Pitt wrestling is evolving in to an excellent Division I program and I am excited to be a part of the new chapter,” Wilps said. “We have many guys that have potential to be All-Americans and national champions. I want to help them reach that goal.”