University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Head Coach Pat Pecora
Pat Pecora took over the Pitt Johnstown wrestling program in 1976. In 30 years, his teams have captured 19 NCAA Regional Championships, including the last four and ten in a row from 1992 through 2001. Twelve times Pecora has been selected the NCAA Regional “Coach of the Year.” His Mountain Cat squads have finished in the top 20 in the nation 23 times and have combined to win 48 team tournaments and 409 dual meets. Coach Pecora has tutored 110 All-Americans and nine individual national champions. Academically, his teams led the nation in NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team selections from 1997 through 2000. Since its inception in 1990, Pecora has coached 77 NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team members.
In 1996 and 1999, his teams captured the NCAA Division II National Championship, the first and second in school history. In 1995 and 1999, Pecora was named NCAA Division II National “Coach of the Year.” Also in 1999, he received the National Wrestling Coaches Association Coaching Excellence Award given to the best coach in all divisions. Coach Pecora also coached the National All-Star Team, which showcased the best wrestlers in the nation from all divisions.
On January 20, 2005, Coach Pecora joined a very elite group when he became only the 18th coach in all divisions to win his 400th dual meet. The Mountain Cats handed visiting Anderson (S.C.) College a 37-4 loss in the Sports Center to give Coach Pecora the milestone victory. His teams have averaged more than 13 dual meet victories each year.
Pecora has served as the NCAA Division II Representative to the National Wrestling Coaches Association for 10 years and was also the president of that organization for two terms.
In 1994, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, East Boro Chapter, and in 1998 was inducted into both the Cambria County and the West Liberty State College Halls of Fame. In March 2001, Pecora was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, and in 2003 he earned induction into the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Coach Pecora and his wife Tracy have four children: Cristina, Marco, Marina and Nico.