Princeton wrestling hired former Rutgers NCAA champion Anthony Ashnault to the coaching staff, according to a release.
Ashnault, who is the Scarlet Knights’ all-time wins leader and a four-time All-American, returns to the coaching sideline. He spent the 2022-23 season as an assistant at his alma mater before refocusing on his senior-level career.
Ashnault fell just short of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic Trials in April. But, he’ll remain in New Jersey for the next part of his career.
“Anthony Ashnault is a New Jersey legend,” head coach Joe Dubuque said in a statement. “Bringing him into this program is so impactful in so many ways. His wrestling speaks for itself but I’m excited for how he will elevate the Princeton Wrestling brand and the immediate impact he will have on our recruiting. Anthony’s eagerness to learn and passion to make Princeton Wrestling one of the best programs in the country makes this an unbelievable hire for me!”
Following his time at Rutgers, Ashnault represented the Scarlet Knight Wrestling Club as a resident athlete. After his single season as a coach, he joined the New York City Regional Training Center and frequently helped out in the Columbia wrestling room.
With a school record 123 wins, Ashnault finished his collegiate career as the most accomplished wrestler in program history. In addition to his 2019 national title, Ashnault won three Big Ten titles and was a four-time All-American, the only one in Rutgers history to do so.
When Ashnault left Rutgers in 2023, he wanted to go full throttle for another Olympic run.
“I am excited to make a full-time commitment to competing as a freestyle athlete,” Ashnault said. “Coaching at Rutgers this past season has given me a tremendous amount of insight and has revitalized my excitement for wanting to compete at the sport’s highest level.”
Head coach Scott Goodale thanked arguably one of the best athletes in school history for his time as a wrestler and coach.
“We want to thank Anthony for everything he has done for this program,” Goodale said at the time. “Anthony has been the face of Rutgers wrestling for almost a decade, and we are excited to be in his corner as he continues this next step in his freestyle wrestling career.”
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