2011-12 Coaching Staff Brendan Buckley, Head Coach, First Season Brendan Buckley, head wrestling coach at Ivy League member Columbia University in New York for the last 11 seasons, was named Cal Poly’s head wrestling coach on June 21, 2011. “Brendan has an excellent record in developing student-athletes,” said Mustang director of athletics Don Oberhelman. “Brendan has demonstrated that he knows how to fulfill his first responsibility as a coach, which is to make sure we honor our commitment to our student-athletes’ academic achievement. We’ve hired the right coach to ensure we continue to honor those ideals. “Brendan also believes, as I do, that all of our student-athletes should strive to leave Cal Poly with a diploma and a championship,” Oberhelman added. “I’m very excited about what he will accomplish at Cal Poly.” Buckley, who earned a 14-3 win at 142 pounds in Fresno State’s 24-16 dual meet victory against Cal Poly in • Coached Columbia to 71 Dual Meet Victories in 11 Seasons as Head Coach 1997 at Mott Gym, praised Cal Poly’s • Placed in Top 70 at NCAA Championships Six Times reputation for athletic and academic excellence. With 20 National Qualifiers in 11 Seasons “Cal Poly athletics has a rich tradi• Earned 2011 Bob Bubb Coaching Excellence Award tion that I am well aware of. My goal is to add to those traditions,” Buckley • Guided Lions to NWCA All-Academic Team Honors All 11 Seasons said. “I am really excited to be here and at Columbia, Including Five Top-10 Finishes I can’t wait to begin working with the team. We will strive for excellence on • 26 All-Ivy League Selections the mat and in the classroom.” Buckley received the Bob Bubb In the last six years, Columbia has earned 26 All-Ivy League selections, 16 Coaching Excellence Award for NCAA Division I on May 31, 2011. Presented by the National Wrestling Coaches Association the award recog- NCAA qualifiers and the program's first All-American in 23 years. Matt nizes an outstanding coach who epitomizes the qualities and characteristics Palmer finished eighth in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Championships at 165 and 174 pounds, respectively. In the 2008-09 season, Buckley coached of a role model and mentor for developing young student-athletes. Last year, Buckley led the Lions to a 9-6 overall record and a third-place Columbia's first EIWA champion in 13 years. Buckley was named EIWA Coach of the Year as he led the Lions to a finish in the Ivy League. The team placed seventh overall at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships in March and fourth-place finish at the 2005 EIWA Championships, the team’s best finish two wrestlers advanced to the round of 16 at the NCAA Division I National at the meet since 1931. The Lions also won the EIWA Wrestling Officials Sportsmanship Award. Championship. Columbia made further improvements in 2007, as the team earned its firstOff the mat, Columbia shined in the classroom as well, ranking third nationally with a 3.2917 team cumulative grade-point average. The Lions ever top 25 ranking, eight wrestlers placed at the EIWA Championships, four have been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic team members qualified for nationals and Palmer earned his second AllTeam each year under Buckley's guidance and have ranked in the top 10 in America honor. Buckley, 71-84-1 in 11 dual meet seasons with the Lions, came to Columfive of those years. Buckley’s accomplishments at Columbia include five years of nationally bia from Virginia, where he was the top assistant coach from 1998 to 2000. ranked recruiting classes, 20 NCAA qualifiers and a school-record eight He helped lead the Cavaliers to two straight top-25 finishes in the NCAA Championships, while helping develop three All-Americans and seven EIWA placewinners in the 2006-07 season. NCAA qualifiers, including national finalist Steve Garland at 125 pounds. Prior to Virginia, Buckley was the chief assistant coach at UC Davis as The Buckley Record well as at Sacramento City College. During his tenure at Sacramento CC, Year Duals Conference NCAA five wrestlers earned All-America status. Originally from Long Island, Buckley lived in Buffalo, N.Y., before mov2000-01 (Columbia) . . . . . . . .4-11 Sixth (Ivy) DNP 2001-02 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .6-7 Fifth (Ivy) DNP ing to Orlando, Fla. He was a high school All-American and Florida state 2002-03 (Columbia) . . . . . . .5-6-1 Fourth (Ivy) 63rd champion at 135 pounds for Lake Howell High and then starred at Clemson where he made the freshman All-American team his first year and reached 2003-04 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .6-6 Third (Ivy) DNP the NCAA Round of 16 as a 142-pound sophomore. 2004-05 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .8-4 Third (Ivy) 38th When Clemson dropped wrestling after the 1994-95 season, Buckley 2005-06 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .8-8 Fourth (Ivy) 44th transferred to Fresno State, where he wrestled under Dennis DeLiddo. 2006-07 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .7-5 Third (Ivy) 44th Buckley was a Western Athletic Conference champion for the Bulldogs and 2007-08 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .7-7 Third (Ivy) 63rd earned All-America status with a seventh-place finish at the NCAA 2008-09 (Columbia) . . . . . . . .3-14 Fifth (Ivy) DNP Championship at 142 pounds in 1997. Buckley graduated from Fresno State in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in 2009-10 (Columbia) . . . . . . . .8-10 Fourth (Ivy) DNP speech communication and completed his master's degree in sports manage2010-11 (Columbia) . . . . . . . . .9-6 Third (Ivy) 39th ment at Columbia. Buckley and his wife Julia celebrated their first wedding Totals: 71-84-1 (11 seasons) anniversary Aug. 28.
Buckley File
2011-12 Cal Poly Wrestling Media Guide -- Page 2