|
Matt Gentry, Stanford's first NCAA Champion, returns for his third season on the Cardinal coaching staff. During his first two seasons on the staff, Gentry helped the Cardinal to a 16-15 dual meet record, coached Stanford wrestlers to three All-American honors and helped six individuals qualify for the NCAA Championships. Gentry, a four-time NCAA qualifier, won the NCAA title at 157 pounds as a junior in 2004, capping a perfect 42-0 season. Gentry will continue to train while he coaches at Stanford. Gentry became the first Stanford wrestler to win an NCAA title and was also the first Cardinal wrestler to take the crown at Midlands. Gentry took the 157-pound title in December of 2004, as he continued his undefeated streak. Gentry won 64 straight bouts between 2003 and 2005, topping the previous best of 23 consecutive wins. Gentry is also the school record holder with 138 victories in his career, topping former Head Coach Steve Buddie's record of 109 wins. Gentry, a dual citizen of the US and Canada has his sights set on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Between 2005 and 2006, competing at 74 kg (163 lbs), Gentry has collected second and third place finishes at the US University National Championships as well as a sixth place finish in the US Senior National Championships. He also captured the Canadian University and Senior National Championship. He finished fifth at both the Pan American Championships and the University World Championships and competed in the Senior World Championships while competing for Canada. As the 2006-07 competitive season began, Matt decided to commit to competing for Canada through the Olympics. He won his second consecutive Canadian Senior National Championship and now sits atop the Olympic Qualifying ladder. He also captured the title in the 2007 Canada Cup and earned his first major international medal, a bronze, at the Pan Am Games in July. Gentry graduated from Stanford with a degree in Human Biology in 2005. | |||||||||||||||
