Wrestling hires new assistant coach

New hire Sean Boyle brings championship-level experience to the Edinboro wrestling coaching staff. Head Wrestling Coach Matt Hill announced the hiring on Sept. 27.

Boyle, 29, moved to Edinboro on Friday and began as head assistant coach for the Fighting Scots on Monday.

His credentials and experience, based both on an interview and Edinboro Sports Information, includes wrestling at the University of Michigan from 2009 to 2014, where he was a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I qualifier, receiving his degree in kinesthiology, achieving Round 12 status at the NCAA Championships, and being a part of Big Ten championships.

He then spent his final year of competition, which he called his best, at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) where he was a 2015 Southern Conference champion and Wrestler of the Year, qualifying for his third NCAA national tournament.

From 2015-16, he took on coaching as a graduate assistant at UTC, and from 2016-18, he was an assistant coach at California State University, Bakersfield. Finally, before landing at Edinboro, he was at the University of Buffalo from 2018-19.

Boyle wanted to be at Edinboro because of the history and tradition of the program, along with its location in Pennsylvania and its reputation for state recruits. 

“I think having good recruits here, we can build this up and turn it into a national powerhouse,” he said.

While the Edinboro legacy is already positive, Boyle is joining a coaching staff that, as he explained, “[is] kind of rebuilding to try to get back to where it was during the Tim Flynn era,” and he touched on the excitement in this process. He also mentioned that when Tim Flynn left in April 2018, they lost some of the wrestlers from that roster.

With Edinboro being his fourth coaching job, the question of longevity came up.

“That’s hard to tell, you know. You can’t like put a number on it, but I would like to be here for a few years and really try to bring Edinboro back to where it was a little bit when Coach Flynn was here and try to get it back on track.”

He has lofty expectations but also simply looks to “get experience, play it year by year and just do a good job here.”

Boyle says that the opportunity feels good, that he is excited and grateful to be at Edinboro, and plans to bring youthfulness to the team. He described his coaching style as being hands-on.

“I think he’ll be great for our team. I think he’ll be a great addition. He’s got some great experience, he had a great career of his own, and we’re really looking forward to getting to know him and seeing what he’s got to offer,” said Fritz Hoehn, a redshirt senior.

Meanwhile, teammates Jacob Oliver and Cody Mulligan appreciate Boyle’s focus on lightweight classes and his overall dedication.

Hill, now in his second year as the head coach, looks forward to the team’s future with Boyle. “I think he’ll be a big part of the growing potential we have, and he will bring a very serious and workmanlike environment to our wrestling room and outside of it.”

The wrestling team’s first event of the 2019 season will be on Saturday, Nov. 2 during the Kent State Duals against both Kent State and Ashland University. Further details will be announced.

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