Harper College Men's Wrestling

Coach Dan Loprieno has been the head wrestling coach at Harper College since the 1998-1999 season. Since taking over the program, he has led the team to five DIII national championships (2001, 2006, 2010, 2011, and 2019). In 2010, the Hawks defeated all schools, DI included, when they won their national championship. Along with his five national titles, Loprieno’s teams have finished second in the nation six times, third in the nation twice and finished fourth in the nation once. In addition to the national success, Loprieno has guided the Hawks to 10 Region 4 titles and two runners-up finished.   Loprieno has coached seven national champions across various weight classes: Mike Rio (149lb)(2004), Josh Kratovil (141lb)(2010), PJ Starnes (157lb)(2011), Curtis Blaydes (HW)(2012), Josh Tardy (149lb)(2013), Michial Foy (165lb)(2019), and Munkhtugla Zuunbayan (157lb)(2020). He has coached an additional 39 All-Americans. He also helped coach 19 All-Americans as an assistant. In the 2024-2025 season, Loprieno kicked of the inaugural Stormin' Norman Memorial Tournament to honor the late Hall of Fame coach Norman Lovelace, who coached at Harper for 23 years, including a national championship in 1994.   In 2019, Loprieno earned his second NJCAA Coach of the Year award after winning his fifth championship. In 2012, the Hawks won the Midwest District Meet, earning Loprieno Midwest District Coach of the Year. The award was Loprieno's ninth in the last 12 years. In 2010 Coach Lopreino was inducted into the NJCAA Region 4 Hall of Fame. He was also the NJCAA Coach of the Year for his first time. In 2009, Coach Loprieno was named the NJCAA Man of the Year and was inducted in the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2008 after winning two national titles as the head coach and and one assisting with coach Lovelace.   Loprieno wrestled for Harper from 1983-85, and he was a national qualifier for Lovelace in 1985.  After Harper, he continued his education and wrestling career at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, completing his Bachelor’s degree in Math Education and receiving a Masters of Science Degree in Mathematics. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oshkosh. Next, he was hired as an assistant coach at Harper in 1989 and spent ten seasons as on the staff before being promoted to head coach. He is currently a professor of Mathematics at Harper College, where he started teaching in the fall of 1991.  

Loprieno has been the head wrestling coach at Harper College since 1998 and in his 14 seasons, the team has won three national championships (2001, 2006 and 2010).  Along with his three titles, Loprienos teams have finished second in the nation three times, third in the nation twice and finished fourth in the nation once.  In addition, Loprieno has guided the Hawks to ten Regional titles and runners-up in the region twice.   Under Loprieno, the Hawks have been the top non-scholarship school at the national meet for the last three seasons, including this seasons eight place overall finish. The squad finished sixth in 2011.  Loprieno has also coached four national champions: Josh Kratovil at 141, Mike Rio at 149, PJ Starnes at 157 and Curtis Blaydes this season in the heavyweight division.   After the 2011-12 edition won the Midwest District Meet, Loprieno was named Coach of the Year.  His team included ten national qualifiers for the national meet, an individual national champion (Blaydes), three All-Americans (Blaydes, Charles Argue and Chris Gonzalez) and 11 members of the Academic All-Conference team.   Loprieno was inducted in the NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008. He was the NJCAA Wrestling Man of the Year in 2009. In 2010 Coach Lopreino was inducted into the NJCAA Region IV Hall of Fame.   Loprieno wrestled for Harper from 1983-85, and he was a national qualifier for Hall of Fame coach Norm Lovelace in 1985.  After Harper, he continued his education and wrestling career at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, completing his Bachelors degree in Math Education and receiving a Masters of Science Degree in Mathematics.   Loprieno then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Oshkosh. Next, he was hired as an assistant coach at Harper in 1989 and spent ten seasons as on the staff before being promoted to head coach.   Loprieno is currently a professor of Mathematics at Harper College, where he started teaching in the fall of 1991. He lives in Algonquin with his wife, Heidi, and their three children: Haley, Delaney and Luke.

Coach Zach McCullough has been an assistant wrestling coach at Harper College since the 2021-2022 season. He has helped coach two All-Americans thus far. In the 2024-2025 season, McCullough was a member of the staff that kicked off the inaugural Stormin' Norman Memorial Tournament to honor the late Hall of Fame coach Norman Lovelace, who coached at Harper for 23 years, including a national championship in 1996. Before coaching, McCullough wrestled for coach Loprieno as a member of the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 teams. He was the MVP his sophomore season. He also wrestled at Elgin High School from 2011-2014.  

Coach Justin Selby has been an assistant wrestling coach at Harper College since the 2013-2014 season. Since joining the program, he has helped lead the team to the 2019 national title and helped coach two national champions: Michial Foy (165lb)(2019), and Munkhtugla Zuunbayan (157lb)(2020). He has helped coached an additional 24 All-Americans, 107 national qualifiers.  During his time, Foy and Zuunbayan won the Ernest B. Gould Outstanding Wrestler award and DeMarco Lee won the Joseph Rockenbach Sportsmanship award. In the 2024-2025 season, Selby was a member of the staff that kicked off the inaugural Stormin' Norman Memorial Tournament to honor the late Hall of Fame coach Norman Lovelace, who coached at Harper for 23 years, including a national championship in 1994.   In 2015, Selby was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame as an athlete and as a coach. Selby was a member of the Hawks first national championship in 1994, when he finished 4th individually at the 190lb weight class. He followed up that performance the next year winning the individual title in 1995. He was a dominant force for the Hawks when coach Loprieno was still just an assistant.  

Coach Craig Hankin has been an assistant wrestling coach at Harper College since the 2017-2018 season. Since joining the program, he has helped lead the team to the 2019 national title and helped coach two national champions: Michial Foy (165lb)(2019), and Munkhtugla Zuunbayan (157lb)(2020). He has helped coached an additional four All-Americans as well. During his time, Foy and Zuunbayan won the Ernest B. Gould Outstanding Wrestler award and DeMarco Lee won the Joseph Rockenbach Sportsmanship award. In the 2024-2025 season, Hankin was a member of the staff that kicked off the inaugural Stormin' Norman Memorial Tournament to honor the late Hall of Fame coach Norman Lovelace, who coached at Harper for 23 years, including a national championship in 1996.