Lara joins Oregon State staff as volunteer assistant

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Jason Lara returns to Oregon State wrestling as a volunteer assistant coach as announced by head coach Jim Zalesky on Thursday.

�"With Joey [Palmer] leaving we needed a new lightweight coach,” said head coach Jim Zalesky. �"Jason has done a great job the last few years working with the club, but I feel he will step into this role really well, he was a great student-athlete for the Beavers.”

Jason Lara begins his first season on coaching staff, following a four-year career with the Beavers as a student-athlete and two years as Director of Operations.

In his coaching career, Lara has coached three youth wrestling to national championships. He has coached one individual to a United World Wrestling Championships fifth place finish, and has coached multiple individuals to state championships.

During his wrestling career (2009-12), Lara competed at 125/133 lbs., compiling a 59-21 overall record with a 28-6 dual mark. The California native was a two-time NCAA participant in 2010 and 2011 at 125 lbs., and tallied a 15 career falls, never once himself getting pinned. Lara was also a two-time Pac-12 championship finalist, Midlands Championships, Southern Scuffle and Las Vegas Invitational place winner.

Lara is a native of Midway City, California who currently resides in Philomath and runs The Movement Center in town. Lara graduated from Oregon State during the spring of 2012 with an undergraduate degree in sociology and an emphasis in criminal justice.