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Phil Grebinar |
Assoc Professor of Physical Education grebinar@wpi.edu 508-831-5623 |
Phil Grebinar, who just completed his 33rd year at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, has announced his retirement from coaching wrestling effective immediately, according to WPI Director of Recreation, Physical Education, and Athletics Dana Harmon. Grebinar will retain his position as an Associate Professor of Physical Education, and will add new administrative duties as assigned.
Grebinar will be replaced by Sean Nelligan (WPI '02), an assistant wrestling coach at WPI under Grebinar for the past three seasons.
"Phil Grebinar has been a tremendous asset to WPI in so many ways," said Harmon. "His coaching career has been remarkable with much success for individuals and the team, but more importantly in what he has meant to his student-athletes. Few coaches have as loyal a following. While we will miss his coaching leadership, we are pleased that Phil will remain with the athletic department as Associate Professor of Physical Education and we are excited for him as he takes on expanded roles administratively."
"In making my decision to step aside from coaching at WPI, I felt that the time was right," said Grebinar. "In addition, there were other elements in place. Dana Harmon has provided superb leadership to our department, and her commitment to maintaining the wrestling team as a successful WPI program allows me to step aside knowing she will give the program its full support. In addition, I felt that my assistant coaching staff was my best in 33 years, and great leadership was available if Dana chose to go in that direction.
"I know that I will miss the great competition, the work ethic
of WPI wrestling teams, and the relationships that are built
through a total team environment," said Grebinar. "However, I feel
the timing is right."
Grebinar retires as a highly-decorated coach and as one of the more
recognizable names in the wrestling coaching profession. He is one
of the relatively few coaches ever to reach the 400-win plateau in
his sport. His final overall record will stand at 414-161-7, which
translates into an outstanding .717 winning percentage. Phil
claimed his 400th coaching victory on January 25, 2004
when his grapplers defeated Coast Guard in the NECCWA Dual Team
Tourney at Bridgewater State.
Phil has also been named NECCWA Coach of the Year three times and has had a grand total of 195 All-New England wrestlers, including four in the 2004-05 season. Under his tutelage, eight WPI individuals earned All-America status a total of 11 different times.
Phil guided his WPI teams to four NECCWA championships - in 1985, 1987, 1994, and 1995. In 1987, WPI wrestlers placed in all 10 weight classes -- a NECCWA Tournament first. In his last 29 years as head coach, he had 24 winning seasons.
Over the years, Grebinar has been inducted into four Halls of Fame. In 2003, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 1994, Grebinar was inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was inducted into the Massachusetts Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and in 2002, he was inducted into the inaugural class of the New England College Conference Wrestling Association's Hall of Fame
A native of Long Island, Grebinar received his bachelor's and
master's degrees from Cortland State, where he was a football
player and wrestler.