FEBRUARY 15, 2017

KING'S McGINLEY TO COACH FINAL DUAL MEET THURSDAY VS. ALMA-MATER WILKES

WILKES-BARRE — In 1961-62, Ned McGinley was in his first season as a collegiate wrestler at Wilkes University. Now, 55 years later, McGinley will see his affiliation with collegiate wrestling come to an end facing his alma-mater as the retiring King's College mentor coaches his final dual meet Thursday night when the Monarchs play host to Wilkes at 7:00 PM in Scandlon Gymnasium.

During a January 26 press conference, McGinley announced the 2016-17 season, his 48th at King's would be his last with the Monarchs. McGinley is currently the longest-tenured coach at the NCAA Division I, II, and III levels and has posted a 454-449-1 record and will coach his 905th dual meet against the Colonels.

King's will enter the matchup as the underdogs as the Monarchs are 9-14 in dual meets while Wilkes is 18-5 and ranked 24th in both the National Wrestling Coaches Association and Intermat Division III national polls.

His last scheduled competition will come at the NCAA East Regional Championships February 24-25 in Rocky Mountain, Va. If the Monarchs are able to qualify a wrestler to the Division III National Tournament, his tenure will extend to March 10-11 when the event is held in La Crosse Wisconsin.

McGinley started the wrestling program at King's in 1968 and has been the only coach in program history. The Monarchs began as a Division II program but joined the NCAA Division III ranks in 1980 when King's became a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference.
 
During his career McGinley has coached 45 College Division/Division III national tournament qualifiers; 18 NCAA Division III All-Americans; 20 Middle Atlantic Conference individual champions; six Metropolitan Conference winners; five National Catholic Invitational Tournament champions; while 13 of his wrestlers concluded undefeated dual-meet seasons. He also produced six wrestlers who reached the NCAA Division III national finals. McGinley's teams have also excelled in the classroom, as evidenced by the 32 NCAA Division III Scholar All-Americans he coached. His 2015 and 2016 squads were also crowned the top-ranked Division III academic teams nationally in both 2015 and 2016 by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
 
McGinely's 48-year tenure at King's stands ahead of Don Murray of Division III Brockport State, who is currently in his 47th year, while Pat Pecora of Division II Pitt–Johnstown is in his 41st season.  McGinley became the longest active coach in 2014-15 when Steve Eldridge of Division III Coast Guard Academy retired after 47 years following the 2013-14 season.  Bucky Maughan at North Dakota State (DI and DII) also coached 47 years before stepping down after the 2010-11 campaign.

Senior Guesseppe Rea (25-4) of Wilkes is ranked second nationally at 125-pounds while junior Matt Grossman (25-1), a 2015 Division III national champion, is also ranked second at 141.  

King's is paced by juniors Howard Kilpatrick (19-5) at 165 and Ralph Bernardo (16-2) at 285. Senior Zach Smith is 14-4 at 174 while freshman Dakota Quick is 17-6 at 125.  

The Monarchs will return to the mats February 24-25 at the NCAA East Regional Championships at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mountain, Va.  The event will be hosted by Ferrum University.