Head Coach
Pat Popolizio
Oklahoma State '01
Third Season

With notable achievements on the mat and eye-opening success in recruiting, Pat Popolizio has quickly sparked a revival of Binghamton's tradition-rich wrestling program as he enteres his third year at the helm in 2008-09.

Popolizio and his coaching staff have laid the foundation for a sharp rise in program stature, and Bearcat wrestlers embody the elite qualities of disciplined student-athletes and engaging role models.

The 2007-08 team showcased the drive and determination that has come to define Popolizio, who was a three-time NCAA qualifier and scholar-athlete at Oklahoma State. The Bearcats won more dual matches (13) than any BU team in 34 years and sent two wrestlers to the NCAA Championship. Binghamton took on four nationally-ranked programs, including No. 2 Iowa State and No. 3 Oklahoma State, and finished the season strong with six wins in its last eight matches. The team landed four placewinners at the Colonial Athletic Association Championship, and continued its improvement at that meet.

Popolizio's 2006-07 squad won 10 matches - including five in a row, secured two conference placewinners and sent one wrestler to the NCAA Championship. The team closed the gap against its conference and regional rivals and was equally notable in its academic and community work.

Popolizio came to Binghamton from American University, where he was the lead assistant for two seasons, helping that program finish 17th in the country last winter.

At American, Popolizio coached seven NCAA qualifiers and the school's first All-American alongside head coach and Binghamton native Mark Cody. This past season, the Eagles went 13-6, had three wrestlers ranked in the nation's top-10 and crowned two more All-Americans. Cody and Popolizio transformed a once-stagnant American program into a successful one in a short time span.

Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Army (2003-04) and Sacred Heart (2002-03). His team at Sacred Heart achieved the highest grade-point average of any wrestling program in the country.

"I am very excited to come back to New York and take over the program at Binghamton," Popolizio said at the time. "On my campus visit I was impressed with the facilities and the support from the whole department. The entire atmosphere is very positive."

As a collegiate wrestler, Popolizio won more than 90 matches and was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier at Oklahoma State under six-time world champion John Smith. While in Stillwater, Popolizio's teams finished as national runnerup, took third place twice and fifth place the other year at the NCAA Championship. He was a Big 12 runnerup in 1998 and 2002 and went on to place fifth at the World Team Trials in 2003. As a senior Popolizio was given the 2002 Oklahoma State Hustle Award, after being ranked as high as No. 1 in the country at 184 pounds. Also on his competitive resume is a Northeast Regional Open title, two University Freestyle All-America honors and FILA Junior All-American distinction in 1997.

His academic accomplishments include being named Academic All Big 12 twice and earning the Oklahoma State Student-Athlete Award five semesters. He graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education.

A former New York state scholastic champion for Niskayuna High, Popolizio is eager to put his New York roots to good use with an in-state recruiting emphasis.

"One of my main focuses is to recruit the top talent out of New York - to keep them at home," he said. "The state is a hotbed for wrestling, especially in the Binghamton area. It's a great opportunity to suceed and I'm looking to take the program to a top 25 level in the next few years."

He was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1996 state meet, where as a senior at Niskayuna, Popolizio captured the 177-pound title. He went on to become the national high school runnerup.

Popolizio resides in Binghamton.

Assistant Coach
Dennis Papadatos
Hofstra University '00
Third Season

A tireless recruiter and motivator, Papadatos begins his third season as lead assistant with the Binghamton wrestling program in 2008-09.

Papadatos has been instrumental in Binghamton's quick rise as a young Division I program. His experience and dedication paid immediate dividends in 2006-07, as an underclassmen-led BU team posted 10 dual wins. Last season, he helped produce two NCAA individual qualifiers and the most team wins in 34 seasons (13).

Papadatos came to Binghamton directly from Northern Illinois University where he spent the 2005-06 season as an assistant coach for the Huskies.

Prior to his stint at Northern Illinois, Papadatos spent three seasons working as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Hofstra University. There his responsibilities included the strength and conditioning for the wrestling team, in addition to his service improving technique and working on strategy. Additionally, while working with the Pride program, Papadatos spent six years teaching elementary, middle and high school youths how to wrestle and train properly.

As an undergraduate, Papadatos was a four-year starter for the Hofstra wrestling team - one of the East Coast's premier programs. During his tenure at Hofstra, Papadatos amassed 97 career victories en route to two appearances in the NCAA Division I wrestling championships at 157 pounds. He was also a three-time member of the Division I Academic All-America wrestling team (1999-2001).

"Dennis has a tremendous reputation within the wrestling world," Popolizio said. "His connections run deep across Long Island, an area known as a hotbed for wrestling talent, which will be a key factor in helping us land some of New York State's top recruits."

A certified personal trainer, Papadatos graduated from Hofstra in 2000 with a bachelor of science degree in exercise physiology and completed a master's in health education from HU in 2002.

A native of Long Island, Dennis, his wife Angela and their one-year-old daughter Gabriella reside in Binghamton.

Assistant Coach
Scott Green
Binghamton '93
Third Season

Green begins his third season as assistant coach at his alma mater in 2008-09

Green joined the Bearcat staff in 2006 after a successful run as a high school coach. Green's high school coaching credentials include leading his Oxford Academy athletes to six Section 4 and four state titles. His Blackhawk teams finished 5th in 2006 and 10th in 2005 at the NYS tournament. He also founded and runs Shamrock Wrestling, one of the largest and most successful wrestling clubs in the country. Shamrock wrestlers have garnered 57 All America finishes at the ASICS Junior National Championships, including six titles. Green has also coached athletes to AA honors at the FILA Junior and University levels in Freestyle and Greco Roman.

Green's knowledge of prep wrestling in New York and nationwide will be an invaluable resource for the Bearcats. He will also be responsible for developing and implementing off-season improvement plans for the BU wrestlers.

"Scott Green is one of the most recognizable names in New York as far as wrestling goes, " head coach Pat Popolizio said. "He is a tireless recruiter and possesses incredible knowledge of the national wrestling scene. We are fortunate to have him on our staff."

Green owns and operates the Shamrock Athletic Center in Nimmonsburg. He is a 1993 graduate of Binghamton University with a BA in Literature and Rhetoric. He resides in Port Dickinson with his wife Jen, daughter Riley and son Caeran.

Volunteer Assistant Coach
Andy Seras
Albany '86
Second Season

A former undefeated NCAA champion and five-year Division I head coach, Seras begins his second season at Binghamton in 2008-09.

Seras came directly from Sacred Heart University, where he served as head coach of the Pioneers for the past five seasons. His 2006-07 squad placed fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association, crowned on All-American and placed 40th in the nation. Under his leadership, Sacred Heart finished among the top half of the CAA all five years and was completing a steady climb toward the top 25 teams in the nation.

"Andy is a world class athlete and coach who will help our program get to the next level," head coach Pat Popolizio said. "His experiences of wrestling in the Olympics, coaching in the Olympics, as well as leading Sacred Heart to their first NCAA Division I All-American last year will be a valuable asset in our wrestling room."

In college, Seras compiled an undefeated dual meet career (64-0-2) at University at Albany. He was a four-time conference champion, four-time All-American and won the 1985 NCAA Division III National Championship. He is a distinguished member of both the NWCA Division III and Albany Halls of Fame.

In 2006, Seras coached the US Greco-Roman Team at the FILA World Championship in Guangzhou, China. The team equaled its best ever performance, finishing third out of seventy countries. Team USA secured three medals, including a Gold Medal from Joe Warren at 60 KGS and Bronze Medals from Lindsey Durlacher (55 KG) and Harry Lester (66 KG). In 2004, he coached the US Olympic Greco Roman Wrestling Team and in 2005 US Junior World Team (19-20 years). He previously served as the US World Team Head Coach at the World Championship in 2001 and 2002, as well as leading the 2001 and 2003 World Cup Teams for Team USA.

Seras has received many National awards in his coaching career. In 2004, he was given the "Bob Bubb Coaching Excellence Award" presented "in recognition of outstanding accomplishments as a college coach who epitomizes the qualities and characteristics of a role model and mentor for developing young student athletes." He was awarded USA Wrestling's "Greco Roman Coach of the Year" in 2001 and 2004, as well as, the US Olympic Committee's "National Wrestling Coach of the Year" in 2002.

During his tenure at Sacred Heart, the Pioneers made significant strides within the conference and region. In 2002-03, Seras' first year, Sacred Heart was runnerup at the Colonial Athletic Association Championship. That year he coached one CAA champion and four NCAA qualifiers, each of whom won at least one match at the NCAA Championship. In 2003-04, Sacred Heart crowned two CAA champions and brought two athletes to St. Louis for the NCAA Championship. The Pioneers sent three athletes to NCAAs in 2004-05 and two more the following year. In dual meet action, Sacred Heart defeated several highly regarded and established programs for the first time during Seras' tenure including Drexel, Harvard, Brown, Rutgers, East Stroudsburg and George Mason.

In the classroom, Sacred Heart was the NWCA Academic National Champions in 2001-02, 2002-03, and 2003-04 and was ranked seventh in 2004-05. Sacred Heart placed 11 wrestlers on the Academic All-American team during Seras' tenure.

The 44-year-old Seras has been involved in the sport for 36 years as an athlete and coach. He worked as an assistant coach at Albany from 1985-96 and at Sacred Heart from 1999-2002 before taking over as head coach. As an athlete Seras compiled an impressive resume, earning a spot on the 1988 US Olympic Team which competed in Seoul, Korea, placing ninth. Seras earned the No. 1 ranking in the country for six of seven years from 1988 through 1994. He competed in the World Championships five times, placing sixth in 1991, ninth in 1989 and 10th in 1994. He also won Gold Medals at the 1994 World Cup, 1990 Pan American Championships and 1991 Pan American Games. A five-time National Open Champion, Seras reached the finals of the nationals for 12 consecutive years.

A native of Niskayuna, N.Y., Seras is married to Karen and has two daughters Jackie and Morgan.