Olympian and Penn State All-American Ken Chertow has been named the head women’s wrestling coach at Misericordia University, Chuck Edkins, director of athletics, has announced.
Chertow was a three-time NCAA All-American for the Nittany Lions and represented the United States at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and is one of just four Penn State wrestling products to make the U.S. Olympic team.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ken Chertow to Misericordia University as our first head coach of women’s wrestling,” said Edkins. “His resume speaks for itself and we believe he is the perfect choice to build this program. He will begin recruiting immediately to fill a roster for the 2024-25 season.”
Chertow shares Edkins’ enthusiasm. “I enjoy coaching serious students and am excited for the opportunity to start the women’s wrestling program at Misericordia,” said Chertow. “Women’s wrestling is thriving and growing steadily. I look forward to building our wrestling program here at Misericordia and growing our sport nationwide.”
His freestyle expertise fueled Chertow’s interest in the women’s program since women’s wrestling at the NCAA level utilizes the freestyle Olympic-style techniques. “My expertise and love for freestyle is a perfect fit for the women’s program,” said Chertow. “I enjoy teaching girls and coaching freestyle wrestling. I look forward to building a national powerhouse at Misericordia.”
In addition to his NCAA and Olympic success, Chertow was a six-time Team USA freestyle national team member from 1986-1992, a Pan-Am Champion, a two-time junior World freestyle champion and a Junior Nationals Champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. He was also a three-time academic All-American.
Chertow spent five seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio State and Penn State and has operated Ken Chertow’s Gold Medal Training Camp System throughout the United States for more than three decades.
His summer camps have attracted more than 10,000 student-athletes from across the country, including the SuperGirl Summer Camp, the largest women’s wrestling camp in the Eastern United States.
“Our camps have developed and attracted some of the best male and female high school wrestlers in the nation,” said Chertow. “Conducting year-round camps will help with recruiting dedicated student-athletes to Misericordia. In addition to my summer camp, we plan to host Prospect ID camps and will travel the nation to attend tournaments and host clinics to meet prospective student-athletes. We are seeking highly motivated student-athletes, who want to be leaders in building our brand new program together.”
Misericordia will begin competition in the 2024-25 with an independent schedule featuring dual meets and invitational tournaments.
Misericordia University is a member of the NCAA Division III and Middle Atlantic Conference.
Misericordia University is a highly personal community of 2,239 students in Northeastern Pennsylvania. As a private Catholic institution founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Misericordia emphasizes collaborative and hands-on learning and co-curricular activities by engaged faculty and staff. The university challenges students to excel academically, professionally, and socially with a special graduation and retention rates. The university’s core values of Mercy, Service, Justice, and Hospitality underpin the more than 50 academic programs. Misericordia University ranks in the top tier of the Best National Universities and as a Best Value School in U.S. News and World Report’s 2022 edition of Best Colleges. The Princeton Review recognizes MU as a 2022 “Best Northeastern” college, and Money Magazine includes Misericordia in its 2022-23 “Best Colleges” list. Misericordia University will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024.
