Player Bio: Drew Pariano - Northwestern University Official Athletic Site

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Drew Pariano

	Position: Head Coach
	Experience: Sixth year at NU
	Alma Mater: Northwestern, 2000

Head Coach Drew Pariano

A former Northwestern wrestler, Drew Pariano officially assumed his role as Northwestern head coach on June 1, 2010, after five successful seasons as an assistant and associate head coach for the resurgent Wildcats. Pariano, the 2008 NWCA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year, has been a driving force in Northwestern regaining its place as one of the top programs in the country, coaching 23 NCAA qualifiers, 11 All-Americans, six Big Ten champions and three NCAA champions -- including Hodge Trophy winner and two-time U.S. Open champion and World Team member Jake Herbert -- in his time on NU's staff.

Off the mat, Pariano has been instrumental in assembling several of the most highly touted recruiting classes Northwestern has seen in the past two decades. He took the lead in recruiting two-time Illinois state champion Brandon Precin from Chicago's Sandburg High School in 2006 and in 2008 he helped NU sign Jason Welch, the Junior Dan Hodge Trophy winner as the nation's best prep wrestler.

Additionally, Northwestern's 2010 freshman class drew recognition as the No. 3 recruiting class in the nation by InterMat and DIcollegewrestling.net, with five InterMat top-100 prospects including two respective No. 1's at their weight classes.

"To Drew there is no offseason or end of the day because he is constantly coaching and working to improve the program at Northwestern. He knows that to be a successful wrestler you need to live the lifestyle on and off the mat. Drew embodies that idea and he will not rest until NU is the best wrestling program for years to come."

-Jake Herbert, Northwestern two-time NCAA champion, Hodge Trophy winner and USA World Team member

Pariano's first season on staff in Evanston (2005-06) was one of the most successful campaigns in the 78-year history of Northwestern wrestling as the Wildcats qualified a program-best seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. That season only laid the foundation for what was to come in 2007 as Northwestern entered six competitors into the tournament, placed four All-Americans and tied a program-best with its fourth-place national finish as a team.

Since joining the Northwestern coaching staff, Pariano has gained a wealth of coaching experience at the national level, serving as the director of the University and FILA Cadet National Championships in 2005. In addition, he was named the head coach for the Ohio Junior National dual meet team which placed third nationally.
Pariano also was responsible for taking the Northwestern Wrestling Camps on the road for the first time in program history. The annual camp is held at Lake Catholic High School in Mentor, Ohio, as well as Pariano's alma mater, Fairview Park High School.

"Drew's enthusiasm for wrestling and recruiting helped maintain our tradition of excellence in wrestling, and helped elevate him into his first collegiate head coaching experience at Cornell College in Iowa. I am excited about his elevation to the head job at Northwestern. I am sure he will continue to be a blessing to your program as he was to ours."

-Kerry Volkmann, Hall of Fame coach at John Carroll University

Pariano came to Evanston from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where he served as head wrestling coach for two seasons. While at Cornell, Pariano compiled two talented recruiting classes, with three of his freshmen from the 2004-05 season winning more than 25 matches.

Before working at Cornell, Pariano worked as an assistant wrestling coach at John Carroll University. He helped the Blue Streaks win two Ohio Athletic Conference titles and place in the top 25 of the NCAA Division III Championships three times.

As a competitor, Pariano was a three-time NCAA qualifier and four-year starter for the Wildcats. He qualified for the NCAA Championships in 1997 and 1998 at 150 pounds and in 1999 at 165 pounds. He earned Academic All-Big Ten and Academic All-American honors, and was a Midlands Tournament placewinner.

In high school, Pariano was a three-time Ohio state champion and two-time outstanding wrestler at the state meet.

Pariano received a bachelor's degree in education and social policy from Northwestern in 2000 and a master's degree in communication management from John Carroll in 2003.