Rochester Institute of Technology Men's Wrestling

Bovenzi will begin his first season as the RIT head wrestling coach in 2016-17. He is eager to make RIT one of the top wrestling programs in Division III. He previously served as an assistant coach at the university from 2013-16.   In 2014-15, Bovenzi played an integral role in helping RIT to one of its finest seasons in four decades, as Brad Mayville and Tory Cain earned All-American honors. Originally from the suburb of Greece in Rochester, Bovenzi was also a standout on the mats at Greece Athena High School. He is a member of both the Greece Athena and Section V Wrestling Hall of Fame.   Bovenzi was a standout collegiate wrestler both at St. Lawrence University and Ithaca College, advancing to the NCAA Championship four times. He was a three-time All-American and two-time National Champion in 1993 and 1995. In his final season at Ithaca in 1994-95, Bovenzi won his second straight national title at 190 lbs., finishing with an undefeated record.   In March 2015, Bovenzi was inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame for his incredible collegiate career. He was also inducted into the St. Lawrence Athletics Hall of Fame in October, 2015.   For 17 seasons, Bovenzi served as the head varsity wrestling coach at East Rochester (1996-2002) and Pittsford (2002-2013) High Schools in the Greater Rochester Area. Bovenzi developed both fledgling programs into New York State ranked teams while coaching 36 class champions, 19 State Qualifiers, and a New York State champion. He coached the Panthers to a 159-58 record with 10 straight winning seasons and six state ranked teams. In 2000, Bovenzi founded the Apex Wrestling Club, which has been one of the largest wrestling clubs in the state.  Apex Wrestling Camps have brought in Division I, II, and III All Americans, National Champions, and legendary coaches during that time frame to assist in the development of local area wrestlers.   Bovenzi earned his bachelor's degree in sports and leisure studies from St. Lawrence in 1994, health education concentration degree from Ithaca in 1995, and his master's degree in liberal studies from The College at Brockport in 2000. He is a Physical Education Teacher in the Pittsford Central School District.