Kent State has replaced longtime coach wrestling coach Jim Andrassy with Josh Moore.
The university announced the move on its website Friday, June 13.
Andrassy coached the Golden Flashes for 22 seasons, leading Kent State to 203 wins before retiring last month.
He also led the squad to 11 winning seasons, 10 NCAA Championship appearances, six top-25 finishes, and three Mid-American Conference regular-season titles (2009, 2011, 2012).
Josh Moore returns to Kent State after a decade
Moore had coached at Cleveland State for seven years before the university eliminated the program.
It’s a return to the Golden Flashes for Moore, who was an assistant under Andrassy from 2004-15.
“We are very excited to welcome Josh and his family back to Kent State,” Kent State Vice President and Director of Athletics Randale L. Richmond said in a news release. “His deep connection to our program and his proven track record of developing championship caliber wrestlers on the mat, in the classroom, and throughout the community makes him the ideal leader for the next era of Golden Flashes wrestling.”
Josh Moore brings a wealth of experience to Flashes
Moore brings 21 years of Division I experience between Kent State and Cleveland State.
He’s coached 10 All-Americans and 69 NCAA Division I All-Americans in his coaching career. That includes Dustin Kilgore, who was the Flashes’ first national champion in 2011.
“Coming back to Kent State as the Head Coach is truly a dream come true for my family and me,” Moore said in the release. “I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity and fired up to bring the energy, passion, and purpose every single day. Ohio wrestling family, Let’s build something special-together.”
Josh Moore’s wrestlers are successful in the classroom
Moore’s success goes beyond the mat.
He helped Cleveland State Wrestling earn a perfect 1000 Academic Progress Rate (APR) in 2023-2024 and has been instrumental in maintaining team GPAs above 3.25 throughout his career.
He also helped secure over $200,000 while with the Vikings.
Moore was also successful on the mat as a two-time All-American for Penn State, where he finished national runner-up in 2004.
Contact Brad Bournival at bbournival@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Josh Moore will be new Kent State wrestling coach
Reporting by Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
