FRESNO, Calif. - The process of reinstating the men’s wrestling program at Fresno State took a monumental step forward on Tuesday as Bulldog Director of Athletics Jim Bartko announced the hiring of Troy Steiner to become the head wrestling coach.

He will be formally introduced at a press conference on Thursday at 1 p.m., which will be streamed live over the Mountain West Network.

Steiner, who has spent the past 10 years at Oregon State, including the last four in the role of associate head coach, has been selected by Bartko to restore the wrestling program at Fresno State and recapture the passionate wrestling community in California’s Central Valley.

"Today marks an exciting day for Fresno State and the wrestling community," Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro said. "The pride and support for Bulldogs wrestling is inspiring. In our Central Valley, which is well known as a wrestling hotbed, we're pleased to reintroduce the nation to Fresno State wrestling under new head coach Troy Steiner."

Steiner has reached the pinnacle of the sport as both a wrestler and as a coach. A four-time All-American at Iowa where he compiled a 148-13 record in the 134- and 142-pound weight classes, Steiner was a member of three Hawkeye national championship teams from 1991-93 and won the 1992 NCAA Division I National Championship in the 142-pound weight class.

His decorated athletic career is equally matched as a mentor that has seen him coach 22 All-Americans, 10 Big Ten Champions, seven Pac-12 Championship teams and six NCAA Division I Champions along with a Junior FILA World Freestyle Champion.

“I want to thank President Joseph Castro, Director of Athletics Jim Bartko and Associate AD John Kriebs for having the courage to reinstate the wrestling program here at Fresno State,” Steiner said. “I am honored that they have put their trust in me to bring this back to the Valley and to the wrestling community.

“My family and I are extremely excited to become a part of the Red Wave community and looking forward to any challenges that may lie ahead.”

Steiner, who in addition to his 10 years at Oregon State, has made coaching stops at Iowa (2004-06) and Wisconsin (1997-01) while his first collegiate stint was at Minnesota back in the mid-90s (1996-97). He also owned and operated “The ADVANCE School of Wrestling” in Madison, Wis., from 2001-04 and from 1997-2004 was the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation State Freestyle and Greco-Roman Coach.

“Today is truly a special day nationally for the sport of wrestling and here for the fans in the Valley who deeply love this sport,” Bartko said. “Being able to find a head coach with the integrity, spirit and knowledge that Troy brings to Fresno State is invaluable not only for restarting the program, but also for bringing great student-athletes to campus to compete.”

Steiner’s most recent successes at Oregon State came working alongside Beavers head coach Jim Zalesky, a 2004 National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee who Steiner also coached with at Iowa from 2004-06. Steiner and Zalesky guided Oregon State to top 10 NCAA team finishes in 2012 and 2013 and the seven Pac-12 Championships, including five-straight from 2012-16.

As a member of USA Wrestling, he was a USA Women’s World Team Coach in 2003, 2007 and 2015, and was the 2003 USA Junior World Team Coach in men’s freestyle where he coached the U.S. Junior team in the World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey.

Steiner, a native of Bismarck, N.D. and graduate of Bismarck Century High School, went on to star as a wrestler at Iowa alongside with his brother, Terry, who was a three-time All-American with the Hawkeyes (1991-93) and 1993 NCAA Division I National Champion (150-pound weight class). Both Steiner brothers were inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on June 9, 2013.

In post-collegiate competition, Steiner was a nine-time U.S. National Team member, winning the 1992 World Cup and the 1996 Pan-American Games titles. He placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1992 and 1996, and fifth in 2000.

He received his bachelor's degree in social work from Iowa in 1993 and his master's degree in kinesiology with a sports management emphasis from Minnesota in 1998.

He and his wife, Shawn, have two children, Spencer and Abbigail.

About Fresno State
Fresno State Athletics features 19 NCAA Division I sport programs that will so go up to 21 sports with the addition of wrestling and women's water polo for the 2017-18 academic year. Athletics play a key role within the educational mission to advance knowledge and develop individuals to drive our collective progress. Our commitment, through determined effort, dedicated teamwork, creativity, openness, honesty and integrity is to focus on the best interests of our student-athletes and of Fresno State. In preparing our student-athletes for future success at the highest level, we will hone leadership and character that transcends the arena of athletics to promote the greater good.

Wrestling at Fresno State dates back to 1962 when it competed as an NCAA Division II program. In 1969 it made the move to Division I and won 11 team conference championships, had 14 top 25 finishes, three individuals that combined to win six national championships and 33 All-Americans.

The timeline for wrestling reinstatement is as follows:
July 2016 – Hiring of assistant coaches
Summer 2016 – Recruitment of student-athletes begins
November 2016 – Early signing period; recruits can sign National Letters of Intent with the Bulldogs
August 2017 – Student-athletes arrive on campus
Winter 2017-18 – Wrestling program begins competition