Contact: Matthew Eaker, Sports Information Graduate Assistant,
mreaker@noctrl.edu
May 26, 2022 - The North Central College men's and women's wrestling programs are set to experience a coaching change, as
Zach Cook has been promoted to the position of head coach for the men's wrestling team, athletic director
Jim Miller '86, announced Thursday.
Joe Norton, who has guided the men's program since 2014 and the women's program since 2018, will continue to serve as North Central's head coach for the women's wrestling program and will serve as the associate head coach for the men's team.
"We want everyone to understand that I'm not going anywhere! In my eyes, we have operated as Co-head coaches since the day he got here. Coach Cook and I will continue to run both wrestling programs exactly as we have over the last three years since he joined us. In addition to serving as the head women's wrestling coach, I will continue to be just as involved in the men's team as I ever have been, and look forward to continuing our ascent to the top of the Division III wrestling world. Cook will continue to work with our women's team in the same capacity as our associate head coach" said Norton.
Since Cook joined the Cardinal staff in 2019, both programs have a combined 33-8 dual meet record while the men's team has won 22 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) consecutive dual meets during that time, claiming the CCIW Dual Meet Championship this season. Cook has also coached 16 men's All-Americans and three National Champions in his three seasons at North Central while helping the program claim their first NCAA Trophy at the 2022 National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity to become the head coach for the men's wrestling team! I'd like to thank our athletic director Jim Miller and coach Norton for allowing me this opportunity to lead the men's program and continue to develop our guys to reach their full potential on the mat and in the classroom. I've loved working with coach Norton since I arrived at North Central and very little is going to change in our day-to-day operations in how we run both the men's and women's programs. This place is special and we're both very excited to continue working daily to help our men and women achieve their goals on and off the mat!" said Cook.
Both Cook and Norton led women's program to a fourth place finish at this year's National Championships while seeing two wrestlers win individual National Titles. Norton was named National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Northwest Regional Women's Coach of the Year.
Both teams are set to open their seasons in November.
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