Dustin Kilgore finishes a shot against Blaize Cabell at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- Rider University Wrestling Head Coach John Hangey has announced that former NCAA Division I National Champion Dustin Kilgore has joined his staff as an assistant coach. Kilgore, a three-time All-American at Kent State and the 2011 National Champion at 197, comes to Rider following an impressive post-graduate wrestling career in which he earned the 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International Championship at 97kg. While wrapping up his career on the mat, Kilgore served as a volunteer assistant coach at Air Force in 2016-17.
"The addition of Dustin Kilgore to our coaching staff is an important step for the future of Rider Wrestling," said Hangey. "Dustin is a very accomplished athlete, having been on the World Team ladder at 97kg and winning an NCAA title in college at 197lbs. Having trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, he brings a wealth of knowledge and senior level experience to our program. We look for Dustin to make an immediate and lasting impact in the training of our student-athletes and in the recruitment of top-level prospective student-athletes."
Kilgore, the silver medalist at the 2014 World University Championships, became just the sixth wrestler in Mid-American Conference history to earn four MAC individual championships. He's Kent State's all-time leader in victories (178) and pins (50), one of which came in the 2011 National Championship, when he pinned Oklahoma State's Clayton Foster. The National Championship was Kent State's first in program history and the first since 1973 in any sport. Kilgore was a teammate of fellow Rider assistant coach Nic Bedelyon at Kent State.
In addition, Kilgore is a two-time Pan American Champion (2012, 2015), a two-time University World Team Trials Champion (2012, 2014), finished third at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and was the 2016 Bill Farrell International Champion.
Kilgore earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Kent State.
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