10 Questions with Pat Popolizio

Pat Popolizio, a former three-time NCAA qualifier and scholar-athlete at Oklahoma State, begins his first season as head wrestling coach at Binghamton in 2006-07. He comes to Binghamton directly from American University, where he helped that school become a top-20 program last winter. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Army and Sacred Heart.

As a collegiate wrestler, Popolizio won more than 90 matches and was a two-time All-American.

1. What attracted you to Binghamton University?

The fact that it is the closest Division I program to my hometown (Niskayuna) was number one. Binghamton also is in a great recruiting location and Section 4 of New York State has some of the best wrestling in the nation. I also was impressed with the amount of support the University is giving to athletics.

2. What are your goals for this coming year and beyond?

I want to change the reputation of the wrestling program at Binghamton. I am not only looking to win and be a top 25 team within three years, but I want to do it with quality kids. My goal is to have a team filled with student-athletes who live the life of a champion on and off the mat. I want student-athletes who will be leaders, maintain a 3.0 grade-point average, who are active around the University and in the community. The kind of athlete that you won't need to tell twice what is right and what is wrong. They just know. I want people to know when they meet a BU wrestler that not only are they good wrestlers but they have great character.

3. What have you learned from your previous coaching experiences and how will that influence your coaching style at Binghamton?

I learned that discipline and hard work will always outdo talent in wrestling. Under Coach Mark Cody at American, I learned that repetition is the key, not only with technique but your beliefs and philosophies. Student-athletes will know what I expect from them on and off the mat and they will hear it every other day until they get it.

4. What are your fondest memories during your playing and coaching careers?

As a wrestler, wrestling for arguably one of the best programs in the the history of the sport. Wrestling in front of 4,000 to 10,000 fans in some dual meets is a pretty intense atmosphere. As far as coaching goes, helping Coach Cody rebuild American University's wrestling program. That says a lot about your ability to coach. It's easy to take a top 10 team and stay in the top 10, but to start on the bottom and work your way up is very difficult. It takes a special kind of coach to rebuild a program.

5. What do you want Binghamton wrestling to stand for under your leadership?

Discipline, character and work ethic. If a team has all of these traits, you can't help but go in the right direction.

6. What kind of student-athlete do you want in your program?

A leader, a role model, a student-athlete who maintains a 3.0 GPA or higher. The kind of student-athlete that you know as a coach, will do everything you tell him on the mat. Student-athletes who won't except defeat and will fight to the bitter end.

7. What do you like most about the sport of wrestling?

The amount of work you need to put into the sport in order to win. Talent will only get you so far in wrestling. You need to be well-rounded. You need a little of everything in order to be great. You need technique, speed, power, conditioning, flexibility and most important, mental toughness.

8. When did you first begin wrestling as a youngster?

I started wrestling at age 5 ... I kind of had no choice since I had at least 17 family members who all wrestled at sometime or another. I grew up wrestling with my brothers, cousins and my high school coach's son. We would go to the Pee Wee practices at the local high school and then my oldest brother would put us through the practices the other nights in our basement. Most of our practices would end because it no longer was a wrestling match. We would travel as a team every Saturday of my childhood across New York and Pennsylvania. My brother Anthony wrestled at North Carolina and my other brother Frankie wrestled in high school and now runs Journeymen's wrestling club in the Albany area. My cousin Sev wrestled for Boston University.

9. What are some of your other hobbies and interests?

I love to be outdoors, hunting, hiking, horse back riding and four-wheeling. I always enjoy a home cooked meal. I gre up with some of the best Italian food you could eat.

10. Who has had the most influence in your life, both personally and professionally?

My family. I would not be able to be where I am today without their support. My parents very supportive from day one. They were fortunate enough to send me away to different camps and competitions across the United States to help get me to the next level. Being the youngest of three boys, I have had the mentoring of two older brothers when I needed advice. They both have been around the sport of wrestling so they can relate to most of all my issues in some way. As far as coaching, Mark Cody has helped me a great deal. Without his guidance, I would not be where I am today. I know what it takes to lead student-athletes to the next level. From him, I have learned how important discipline is in order to have your team succeed.