Courtesy of Hiram Athletics – Link
HIRAM, Ohio – April 26, 2022 – Hiram College Director of Athletics Scott Pohlman announced on Tuesday the appointment of Christy Powell as the head coach of the Terriers’ women’s wrestling program. Powell joins the Terriers from the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth, Kan., where she served as the assistant women’s wrestling coach for the past four years.
“We are extremely pleased that Christy has accepted our offer to become the first head coach of the Hiram College Women’s Wrestling program,” Pohlman said. “It became evident during the hiring process that Christy had the qualifications that we were looking for in our first head women’s coach.”
“Christy was an outstanding competitor at both the collegiate level and national level,” Pohlman said, “She understands the role of student-athlete and was a two-time Academic All-American. And as a coach, Christy is a proven recruiter, and her teams progressed each year.”
Over her four years with the Spires, Powell saw two student-athletes earn All-Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) honors, including an All-KCAC First-Team honoree in 2019, as well as a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Daktronics Scholar-Athlete selection in 2021.
“I am thrilled to have Christy Powell join us here at Hiram,” Director of Wrestling Operations and Head Men’s Wrestling Coach Andy Vogel said. “Her experience and success as a coach and athlete will be a great asset to the program and the wrestlers on the team. I look forward to seeing what she will accomplish in the coming years, and we are fortunate to have her.”
With the Spires, Powell managed all the paperwork and eligibility for both the Saint Mary’s men’s and women’s wrestling programs, helping with recruiting, scheduling practices and events and more. Powell also helped increase both the women’s wrestling program’s size and retention, growing their roster to almost 30 student-athletes in 2021-22.
“I am excited about the opportunity to continue to grow Hiram Wrestling,” Powell said, “I will do all that I can to guide our student-athletes to success, and achieve their collegiate goals and beyond.”
Powell joined Saint Mary in the fall of 2018 as a graduate assistant wrestling coach and was promoted to assistant women’s wrestling coach in 2020 following the completion of her master’s degree.
Prior to joining the Spires, Powell spent a season as an assistant coach with Team GA Girls Wrestling in Atlanta, Ga., accompanying the Georgia cadet and junior wrestlers to the multiple tournaments, including the Junior National Duals in Tulsa, Okla., where the girls earned a fourth-place finish, as well as the Fargo Cadent and Junior Nationals, where multiple wrestlers earned All-American honors.
Throughout her collegiate career, Powell also spent time as a volunteer coach with the CMP Wrestling Club in Powder Springs, Ga., as well as McGarity Elementary School in Hiram, Ga.
A 2018 graduate of Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., Powell was a four-time All-American for the Vikings, twice earning both Women’s College Wrestling Association (WCWA) All-America honors and National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Academic All-America honors.
A two-time team captain and a six-time Dean’s List selection, Powell was also named Missouri Valley women’s wrestling’s most outstanding freshman in 2014 and wrapped up her collegiate career earning the Vikings’ women’s wrestling Team MVP honor in 2017.
Powell’s also seen great success competing at the national level, qualifying and participating in the 2016 Olympic Trials, finishing fourth at 116.8 lbs. at the 2016 Senior National Women’s Freestyle National Championships, and a seventh-place finish at the 2017 Asics US Open Senior Women’s Freestyle World Team Trials at 116.8 lbs.
A USA Wrestling Bronze Certified Coach, Powell earned her bachelor’s degree in educational studies from Missouri Valley College in 2018, and her master’s degree in education from the University of Saint Mary in 2020.
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