Prominent N.J. girls wrestling coach investigated for sexual misconduct
A New Jersey wrestling champion and one of the most influential private coaches in the state is under criminal investigation for alleged sexual misconduct involving one or more of the female athletes training at his Fairfield gym, NJ.com has learned.
Dave Cordoba, a 1999 state champion at Kearny High School and three-time state finalist, also was placed last week in the Centralized Disciplinary Database by the U.S. Center for Safe Sport for “allegations of misconduct.” The organization — a national non-profit tasked with protecting athletes of all ages from emotional, physical, and sexual misconduct and abuse — issued a temporary suspension and issued a “no contact” directive.
Cordoba, 44, did not return multiple phone messages and emails from NJ.com seeking comment. The doors to his club, Cordoba Trained on U.S. 46 in Fairfield, were locked on Tuesday morning.
Carmen Martin, spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed that an investigation was launched after allegations were referred to the office by Fairfield police. Fairfield police chief Anthony Manna said Monday no arrest had been made.
Cordoba has carved a niche as one of the most prominent coaches in New Jersey girls wrestling, which was sanctioned as an official sport by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association in 2018. His club opened in 2019 in a former furniture store and quickly became one of the state’s most prominent gyms for the nascent sport, emerging as the primary training center for several former state champions.
“I was told I was wasting my time,” Cordoba said in a 2024 interview with Northjersey.com. “Now we have 62 girls and are getting new ones every day.”
In 1999, Cordoba completed an undefeated season at Kearny when he defeated future MMA star Frankie Edgar in the NJSIAA 130-pound state final. The victory allowed Cordoba to become the first wrestler from Kearny and just the second from Hudson County to win a state title.
He finished his high school career with a 138-4 record over four varsity seasons.
