Photo courtesy of Tony Retundo
Koll's impact on the world of college wrestling began during his time at Chapel Hill, where he achieved incredible success as a member of the Tar Heels. In 1988, he secured an NCAA title, solidifying his place in history as the first four-time All-American for the university. Despite coaching at various other institutions, Koll has always been a devoted supporter of the North Carolina program.
Now, he is making a comeback to his former school as the head coach of the Tar Heels. The school recently made an exciting announcement, revealing Koll's return to lead the program.
Throughout his impressive 28-year tenure at Cornell, Koll transformed the team into a dominant force in college wrestling. However, he recently spent two seasons at Stanford, focusing on recruiting exceptional talent to strengthen the roster. Despite his efforts, there were indications that Koll didn't feel completely fulfilled during his time at Stanford.
In the spring, Koll traveled to Oklahoma to explore a potential head coaching position at the Sooners. Although tempted, he ultimately decided to remain at Stanford. However, North Carolina presented a unique opportunity that no other program could match - the chance to return to his former school. Interestingly, this was the same reason why the coaching position in Chapel Hill became available.
Former coach Coleman Scott, who, like Koll, was a four-time All-American and NCAA champion, left North Carolina in mid-August to return to Oklahoma State. Scott had led the Tar Heels for eight seasons, culminating in an impressive 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in March - the team's best performance in 28 years.
During the national tournament, Austin O'Connor, a two-time NCAA champion, contributed half of the Tar Heels' 42 points in his final appearance wearing a North Carolina singlet. As Koll takes charge, he will have the advantage of coaching two returning All-Americans - Lachlan McNeil in the 141-pound weight class and Gavin Kane in the 184-pound weight class.
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