"We are excited to announce the addition of wrestling to our intercollegiate sports lineup," said Union County College Dean of College Life Tammy Smith. "Having a wrestling team will allow us to attract more students to Union. We know that New Jersey is a hotbed for wrestling, and we look forward to offering the opportunity to student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level right here in New Jersey."
Ron Mazzola, New Jersey Region 5 ranking chairman and director of the Greater Middlesex Conference Coaches Association, is eager to see Union County College add wrestling to its sports roster.
"I'm excited," Mazzola told Greg Tufaro of the Bridgewater Courier News. "Wrestling is so popular in New Jersey and the state is such a hotbed for the sport. This is giving more kids an opportunity to wrestle at the next level."
Union County College has already launched a national search for a head coach and coaching staff. In addition, UCC will be building a new wrestling practice facility to be located near the school's state-of-the-art fitness center.
Union County College is a two-year, public community college with four campuses in Union County, New Jersey. UCC's Cranford campus -- located near the interchange of the Garden State Parkway and I-87 -- will be home to the new men's wrestling program. Founded in 1933, Union is the first and oldest of New Jersey's 19 community colleges. UCC has approximately 11,000 students.
