Chuck Kearney Position: Head Coach Experience: 5th year

Chuck Kearney enters his fourth year as head coach after serving 10 years as an assistant at the University of Oregon. Kearney, a former NCAA All-American at Oregon, is a motivator and technician who believes that the hard work and discipline needed to win Pacific-10 and NCAA titles also guarantee success in life.

As Oregon’s sixth wrestling head coach since the program began in 1954, Kearney is up to the task of coaching his alma mater. “The University of Oregon has presented me with a unique challenge and exciting opportunity,” said Kearney. “The challenge is to bring a high level of intensity to a young group and develop them into a seasoned team that can reach their full potential as outstanding citizens and student athletes. The goal of our staff and everyone in our program is not only to meet expectations, but exceed them.”

The 37-year-old Oregon native has recruited classes ranked among the top 20 in the country six of the last 10 seasons, including one that was rated fourth nationally. In addition, he has provided the technical support for a program that has accumulated a 101-64-4 (.605) record during his coaching tenure that began as a part-time assistant during the 1988-89 campaign. During that stretch, Oregon has finished lower than fourth in the Pac-10 Conference Championships just twice, and as high as 14th in the nation two times.

“Our goal is to always be among the top-10 schools in the NCAA Tournament and to be in a position to contend for a national title,” said Kearney. “Obviously, sacrifices and a unified team effort must be made to reach this goal, but I believe in our student-athletes and feel honored to be associated with them. The time is now and we’re ready.”

While wrestling at 177 for Oregon as a senior, Kearney placed fifth in the NCAA Championships while leading his team with a 34-8-1 record in 1988 and was named the team’s most valuable wrestler. His 34 victories tied him for sixth on Oregon’s all-time list for wins in a season. The former Pac-10 champion accumulated 60 wins in two years at Oregon after competing his first two seasons at Oklahoma State. Kearney finished third for the Cowboys in the Big 8 Championships in 1985 and was named a first-team freshman All-American.

Born in McMinnville, Ore. (9/5/64), the 1983 Sandy High graduate was a two-time state champion, a three-time state freestyle winner and a two-time Triple Crown winner with a record of 133-4. He was voted Oregon High School Wrestler of the Year as a senior and was a three-time regional champion and two-time MVP.

He and his wife, Jackie, have two sons, Chase (3/25/94) and Justin (4/13/97).