Sioredas Earns First Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year Award
3/29/2023 12:01:00 PM | Wrestling
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Seven years ago, in April 2016, Jon Sioredas was introduced as Cal Poly's new head wrestling coach.
The former head coach at Grand Canyon and 2005 NCAA All-American inherited a program that had won just 11 of 66 dual meets over the previous four seasons, placed last in the Pac-12 Championships all four years and didn't produce a single NCAA Division I qualifier in 2016 for the first time since the mid-1960s.
That has all changed for the better.
Sioredas' matmen placed fourth in the 2022 Pac-12 finals and moved up to third earlier this month, just 11.5 points out of first place. Five Mustangs qualified for the nationals in both 2022 and 2023.
Cal Poly won all five Pac-12 dual meets this season. Eight of Cal Poly's 10 wrestlers finished third or higher at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships. And for the first time since the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, the Mustangs crowned a Pac-12 individual champion three consecutive years. Bernie Truax claimed the Pac-12 title at 174 pounds in 2021, Evan Wick earned the 165 crown in 2022 and Truax captured the 197-pound title this season.
This week, Sioredas was named Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year by his peers for the first time.
"It's a group effort," said Sioredas. "I'm very proud of our staff and student-athletes. We have grown tremendously as a program and it feels really good to be recognized by our peers."
Sioredas has coached the Mustangs to back-to-back winning dual meet seasons and has produced an NCAA All-American four consecutive years.
Tom Lane was named an All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association after the 2020 NCAAs were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bernie Truax has earned fourth-place finishes three straight years and Wick finished third at 165 a year ago.
Sioredas earned his All-American award while wrestling for Tennessee-Chattanooga. He graduated from UTC in 2005 with a degree in sociology and anthropology and earned his master's degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, in 2009. A native of Chesapeake, Va., and a 2000 Great Bridge High School graduate, Sioredas was a Virginia state champion, prep All-American and national champion. He amassed a 181-13 career prep record, becoming the fourth winningest wrestler in Virginia high school history.
Sioredas, his wife, Michele, and son, Braden, live in San Luis Obispo.
Other Pac-12 honorees announced by the conference Tuesday:
• Arizona State redshirt senior Brandon Courtney (125) was selected Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year. He finished second at the Pac-12 finals and, seeded 10th, placed third in the NCAA finals for his fourth All-American certificate.
• Stanford's Daniel Cardenas (157) earned Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, going 24-3 overall and 5-0 in duals. He became only the ninth Stanford freshman to win an individual conference title and reached the NCAA quarterfinals with a pair of victories over ranked wrestlers.
The former head coach at Grand Canyon and 2005 NCAA All-American inherited a program that had won just 11 of 66 dual meets over the previous four seasons, placed last in the Pac-12 Championships all four years and didn't produce a single NCAA Division I qualifier in 2016 for the first time since the mid-1960s.
That has all changed for the better.
Sioredas' matmen placed fourth in the 2022 Pac-12 finals and moved up to third earlier this month, just 11.5 points out of first place. Five Mustangs qualified for the nationals in both 2022 and 2023.
Cal Poly won all five Pac-12 dual meets this season. Eight of Cal Poly's 10 wrestlers finished third or higher at the 2023 Pac-12 Championships. And for the first time since the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, the Mustangs crowned a Pac-12 individual champion three consecutive years. Bernie Truax claimed the Pac-12 title at 174 pounds in 2021, Evan Wick earned the 165 crown in 2022 and Truax captured the 197-pound title this season.
This week, Sioredas was named Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year by his peers for the first time.
"It's a group effort," said Sioredas. "I'm very proud of our staff and student-athletes. We have grown tremendously as a program and it feels really good to be recognized by our peers."
Sioredas has coached the Mustangs to back-to-back winning dual meet seasons and has produced an NCAA All-American four consecutive years.
Tom Lane was named an All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association after the 2020 NCAAs were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bernie Truax has earned fourth-place finishes three straight years and Wick finished third at 165 a year ago.
Sioredas earned his All-American award while wrestling for Tennessee-Chattanooga. He graduated from UTC in 2005 with a degree in sociology and anthropology and earned his master's degree in business administration from Nova Southeastern University in Davie, Florida, in 2009. A native of Chesapeake, Va., and a 2000 Great Bridge High School graduate, Sioredas was a Virginia state champion, prep All-American and national champion. He amassed a 181-13 career prep record, becoming the fourth winningest wrestler in Virginia high school history.
Sioredas, his wife, Michele, and son, Braden, live in San Luis Obispo.
Other Pac-12 honorees announced by the conference Tuesday:
• Arizona State redshirt senior Brandon Courtney (125) was selected Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year. He finished second at the Pac-12 finals and, seeded 10th, placed third in the NCAA finals for his fourth All-American certificate.
• Stanford's Daniel Cardenas (157) earned Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, going 24-3 overall and 5-0 in duals. He became only the ninth Stanford freshman to win an individual conference title and reached the NCAA quarterfinals with a pair of victories over ranked wrestlers.
Players Mentioned
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Cal Poly Wrestling Head Coach Jon Sioredas Post Dual Press Conference - SIUE (Feb. 2, 2025)
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Cal Poly’s Trevor Tinker Post Dual Press Conference - Cal State Bakersfield (Jan. 21, 2024)
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