SCSU Wrestling Announces Coaching Staff for 2007-08
August 14, 2007
St. Cloud, Minn. -- St. Cloud State University head wrestling coach Steve Costanzo has announced his coaching staff for the 2007-08 season. Coaches Severin Walsh and Jeremy Lang will be back once again with the Huskies, while Matt Lowers and Tom Messerli will be joining the Huskies' coaching staff for the 2007-08 campaign.
Walsh enters his second season as graduate assistant coach for the Huskies.
Walsh is a native of Coulee City, WA where he captured the
1995Washington High School State Championship for
Almira/Coulee-Hartline High School. He began his collegiate career at
Yakima Valley Community College then transferred to William Penn
University where he was a 2002 NAIA National Qualifier and 2002 Central
Region Champion for the Statesmen.
As a coach, Walsh helped lead William Penn University to the 2003 and
2004 NAIA Central Region Championships. He also helped lead the
Statesmen to a sixth place finish at the 2003 NAIA National
Championships and a ninth place finish at the 2004 NAIA National
Championships. After the 2003-04 season at Penn, Walsh coached at NAIA
rival Dana College and helped the Vikings reclaim their Regional title
with back-to-back Regional Championships in 2005 and 2006. In addition,
he helped lead the Vikings to their first ever National Championship in
2006.
Walsh earned his Bachelor’s degree in wellness and recreation from
William Penn University in 2004 and a teaching certification from Dana
College in 2006. He is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in
physical education at SCSU.
Walsh is married to Annette and the two reside in Sartell.
“I am extremely excited to have Severin back this season,” said Coach
Steve Costanzo. “This will be our fourth year together and I appreciate
the loyalty that he has had to me. Severin is a very positive and
energetic coach that is focused on making our student-athletes great
wrestlers and people. ”
Lowers enters his first season as graduate assistant coach for the Huskies.
Lowers is a native of Wadena, MN where he was an All-State athlete
while competing in wrestling, football, track and field and football
for Wadena-Deer Creek High School. After suffering a severe neck and
back injury in high school, Matt ended up attending Concordia College
where he graduated in 2006 with a degree in Exercise Science and a
minor in coaching.
Lowers joins the SCSU coaching staff after serving the past two years
as an assistant with the 2007 National Champion University of Minnesota
Wrestling team. Matt joined the Gophers in 2006 when the team captured
the Division I National Dual Team Championship, Big Ten Championship
and finished second at the NCAA’s. In 2007 the Minnesota Wrestling team
repeated as National Dual and Big Ten Champions and also won the NCAA’s
for the third time in school history. While also serving as an
assistant with the University of MN wrestling team Matt worked as the
Director of Wrestling Operations for J Robinson Intensive Camps. J
Robinson Intensive Camps have set the standard for Intensive camps
while training over 3000 athletes each summer.
Prior to his time with the Gophers and J Robinson Camps Matt spent 3
seasons as an assistant at his alma mater Concordia College in
Moorhead, MN. His final two seasons at Concordia Matt was able to work
with Minnesota and North Dakota Hall of Fame Coach Clay Nagel. During
those two years with the Cobber’s Matt played a significant role in
helping Clay by more than doubling their roster size and equaling the
schools highest ever dual meet win record. During this time Matt also
served as the Director of the Cobber Wrestling Camp which in its first
two years of operation averaged over 285 campers per year while
bringing in a World Class Staff.
Matt is currently working on his Masters Degree in Sport Management from SCSU.
“We are very fortunate to have Matt on our staff this season,” said
Coach Steve Costanzo. “Matt has expertise in the area of wrestling
operations and promotions. I am going to utilize Matt at what he does
best and take his ideas to help market and promote our program better.”
Lang enters his second season as a volunteer assistant coach for his alma mater SCSU.
Lang is a native of Springfield, MN and a 1993 graduate of Springfield
High School. He was a five-year letter-winner in wrestling, three-time
Minnesota High School state qualifier and a three-time All-State
recipient in wrestling and placed fifth at state his senior year. He
amassed a career high school record of 101-36-2. Competed for the
Huskies from 1993-99, Lang was a three-year letterwinner for SCSU and a
three-time All-Conference recipient in the tough North Central
Conference.
Lang is a member of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy and the Koumei
Dojo Academy. He is 7-0 professionally and holds a title belt with
Elite Fighting Xtreme (EFX). Recently, Lang has been contacted by the
World Extreme Cage fighting organization out of Las Vegas, NV and is
anticipating an upcoming bout with them. The WEC is an affiliation of
the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC).
Lang earned his Bachelor’s degree in local and urban affairs from SCSU
in 1999. He currently is employed by Edina Realty in St. Cloud.
Lang resides in St. Cloud with his two children Piper and Larkin.
“Jeremy is another great addition to our coaching staff,” said Coach
Steve Costanzo. “He has vast knowledge for the sport of wrestling and
wants to see his Alma Mater excel. I will use his community ties to
continue to familiarize myself with the wrestling community.”
Messerli enters his first season as a student coach for the Huskies.
Messerli is a native of Lafayette, MN and a 2003 graduate of
Gibbons/Fairfax/Winthrop High School. He lettered five times in
wrestling and posted a career record of 98-42. Competed for the Huskies
from 2003-07, Messerli was a three-year letterwinner for SCSU and a
three-time NWCA All-Academic recipient. In 2006, Messerli was voted the
Dean Weisman Wrestler of the Year for Husky wrestling.
Messerli resides in St. Cloud and will be completing his degree in finance this year.
“I am grateful Tom will be contributing his knowledge of the sport to
the 2007-08 Huskies,” said Coach Steve Costanzo. “As a captain this
past season, he knows what it takes to be a leader and I expect nothing
less from him with this position.”
The Huskies open their season on November 10 as they host their annual
Black/Red Classic at 7 p.m. in Halenbeck Hall gymnasium. The following
week, SCSU wrestling will take their squad to the Cobber Open on the
campus of Concordia College.