Western New England University Men's Wrestling

Mike Sugermeyer will begin his tenth season as the Head Coach of the Western New England men's wrestling team in 2024-2025.  Sugermeyer was appointed Director of Wrestling in September, 2022.  Sugermeyer is currently serving as the President of the New England Wrestling Association. In 2023-2024, Sugermeyer directed four Golden Bears to All-Region placements, with Austin Monteiro, Sean Monteiro, Peter Charnley, and Cam Hines all coming in the top-eight of their respective weight classes. WNE finished with an overall 11-9 dual record while coming in 6th overall as a team at the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) tournament and 11th/20 in the New England Regional tournament. Sugermeyer led Nick Arborio into the NCAA Division III Championships in the 125 lb. weight class in 2021-2022, where the Berlin, Connecticut, native finished the weight class in seventh place overall. That season saw three All-Region placements, with Arborio taking second in the 125, Luke Pinzino in seventh in the 157 lb., and Darby McLaughlin taking sixth in the 197 lb. class. WNE finished 2021-2022 with an 8-7 dual match record under Sugermeyer while finishing 9th/19 at the New England Regionals.  Western New England carried that momentum into the 2019-20 campaign, as they posted its third consecutive winning record (12-8) in dual meet action. Sugermeyer was named the Division III Northeast Region Coach of the Year. Three Golden Bears were honored with NWCA All-American recognition, including junior Nick Arborio, who was named to the first team after compiling a record of 21-0 and was slated to the be the three seed at the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, three student-athletes earned NWCA Scholar All-American honors as well as 10 student-athletes that were named to the NEWA All-Academic team. Western New England has seen a resurgence with Sugermeyer leading the Golden Bears over the past four years, culminating in junior John Boyle capturing the 184-pound national title at the 2019 NCAA Division III Championships in Roanoke, Va. Boyle's milestone gave Western New England its first national champion in any sport. As a team, the Golden Bears placed 15th in the 74-team field at the national tournament.  The 2018-19 campaign also saw Western New England post its second consecutive winning record (9-7) in dual meet action, giving Sugermeyer more dual meet victories (37) over his four-year tenure than the previous nine seasons combined. Three Golden Bears (Boyle, Ryan Monteiro & Justin DeLucia) earned NWCA All-Academic recognition, and five others were named to the NEWA All-Academic Team.  Sugermeyer was honored following Western New England's historic 2018-19 campaign with the Massachusetts College Coach of the Year award from the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.  In 2017-18, Boyle claimed All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Championships in Cleveland. Three other student-athletes collected NCAA Tournament All-Northeast Region accolades for Western New England, which posted top-10 finishes at both the NCAA Northeast Regional and the New England Dual Meet Championships in 2017-18. Additionally, six Golden Bears were named to the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) All-Academic Team.  Following his team's 9-7 dual meet showing last season, Sugermeyer has guided Western New England to a higher win total during his three-year tenure (28) than the previous six campaigns combined. The Golden Bears posted an 8-12 dual meet record during Sugermeyer's second season in 2016-17. Western New England was recognized as one of the top academic programs in the nation, earning National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar Team honors with a 3.20 team GPA that ranked 22nd among over 100 Division III programs. Individually, senior captain Brian Donovan garnered NWCA Scholar All-America accolades. Western New England finished with an 11-13 dual meet record in 2015-16, Sugermeyer's first season in charge, marking the program’s highest win total since the 1998-99 season. His top performers included sophomore Austin Sisco, a Pilgrim League All-Star and All-New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) honorable mention selection at 133 pounds, and junior Brian Donovan, who was a Pilgrim League honorable mention All-Star at 197 pounds while also collecting Pilgrim League Scholar-Athlete and NEWA All-Academic recognition. He is a member of the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Executive Committee as the Treasurer, and also serves as the Hall-of-Fame coordinator for the New England Wrestling Association.  During the summer of 2016, Sugermeyer attended the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Leadership Academy, a professional development program that accepts slightly over 50-percent of its applicants.  Sugermeyer was named head coach at Western New England on July 28, 2015.  "I am delighted that Mike Sugermeyer has accepted a new challenge of becoming our next head wrestling coach," Western New England athletics director Dr. Mike Theulen said at the time of the announcement. "He emerged as the top candidate from a solid pool of candidates, and I am confident that he will do well in his new position to continue the successes that our Athletic Family has achieved." "I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the wrestling program here at Western New England University. I would first like to thank Coach Theulen and the entire athletic administration for making this opportunity possible," stated Sugermeyer. "Being an Assistant Coach (at WNE) for the last two seasons, I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of our Athletic Family. I look forward to being able to continue working toward our goal of creating successful student athletes on the mat, in the classroom and in life." No stranger to the Golden Bears wrestling program, Sugermeyer served the past two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator while having a hand in all aspects of the team. He also is the son of Steve Sugermeyer '78 who was inducted into the school's Downes Athletic Hall of Fame last September, playing a significant role in the growth and development of the sport at the University. Previously, Sugermeyer coached numerous all-state, All-New England and All-American wrestlers while coaching at Northeast Elite and Bay State Wrestling Club of West Springfield. Sugermeyer wrestled for NCAA Division III Rhode Island College in Providence. He was a senior captain for the Anchormen, achieving All-NCAA Northeast Region and All-New England honors, as well as being named a first-team Pilgrim League All-Star. He graduated in 2013 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, with a minor in business management. Prior to RIC, Sugermeyer wrestled for Minnechaug Regional High School in nearby Wilbraham. At Minnechaug, he was a three-time sectional champion, three-time all-state placer and All-New England. Sugermeyer received his master of science in organizational leadership degree from WNE in October 2017.  Season Won Lost Pct. Notes 2015-16 11 13 .458 1 All Region 2016-17 8 12 .400 1 Scholar All American 2017-18 9 7 .563 1 All American, 1 NCAA Qualifier, 4 All Region, 3 Scholar All Americans 2018-19 9 7 .563 1 All Americans, 2 NCAA Qualifiers, 4 All Region, 3 Scholar All Americans, 1 NCAA National Champion 2019-20 12 8 .600 3 All Americans, 3 NCAA Qualifiers, 5 All Region, 3 Scholar All Americans 2020-21 0 0  .000 Season canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic,  4 Scholar All Americans 2021-22 8 7 .533 1 All-American, 1 NCAA Qualifier, 3 All Region, 2 Scholar All Americans 2022-23 6 10 .375 1 All-Region, Recorded Western New England's 500th dual win in program history 2023-24 11 9 .550 4 All-Region, 2 Scholar All Americans Totals 74 73 .503

Dwayne Dawson recently wrapped up his 32nd season as an Assistant Coach of the Western New England University Wrestling team. Dawson was named to the NWCA Division III Hall of Fame Class of 2022 on June 6, 2022.Dawson has coached 11 NCAA All-Americans and the institution’s first NCAA National Champion (John Boyle in 2019). Dawson has also seen more than 100 Western New England student-athletes earn regional and All-New England honors. In addition to his work in coaching, Dawson has also been involved in officiating wrestling at both the high school and collegiate levels for more than 30 years, working numerous Massachusetts State Championships and officiating some of the biggest prep and public high school New England Championships in his career.Dawson was honored in 2009 as the MIWA Hall of Fame Official of the Year and was inducted into the City of Springfield, Massachusetts Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.  He was also inducted into the New England Wrestling Association’s Hall of Fame in 2020.  

Pat Sullivan is in his ninth year as an assistant coach with the wrestling program at Western New England University. A 2013 graduate of Cornell University, Sullivan was a four-year member of the NCAA Division I Big Red wrestling team. Prior to his time at Cornell, he was a Western New England champion and All-New England wrestler at Suffield Academy.

In his first season at the helm of the Western New England women's wrestling team in 2023-2024, Head Coach Tyler Keane took the program to immediate success on the regional and national stage. Keane will look to repeat his success stories in his second season in 2024-2025.  In just the second season of the Western New England women's wrestling program, the Golden Bears soared to national recognition under the watch of Keane, seeing three Golden Bears qualify for the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships, the first three to ever qualify from WNE women's wrestling. WNE placed seventh overall at the Region I championships, their highest placement in team history. The WNE women's wrestling team also went on to collect an 8-7 record in dual matches during the 2023-2024 season, a new team high in victories. Following the conclusion of the season, five Golden Bears picked up National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American status. Dakota-Marie Dinielli, Linda Holeman, Mikayla Maloy, Rebecca Kilday, and Ariel Casella were five of just 254 scholar-athletes from around 50 nationwide institutions. Tyler Keane was named Assistant Director of Wrestling / Women's Wrestling Head Coach in August 2023. Keane will take the helm of the WNE Women's Wrestling Program for his first season in 2023-2024.  Keane is no stranger to the blue and gold, having been an assistant coach for five seasons with the Western New England men’s wrestling program from 2016-2017, and 2018-2022. There, Keane helped take the program to new heights, mentoring 12 NCAA All-Region wrestlers, six NCAA National Qualifiers, five All-Americans, 13 NWCA Scholar All-Americans, and Western New England’s first ever NCAA National Champion. Keane also has experience coaching regionally, being involved with the Bay State Wrestling Club, located in Springfield, Mass., where Keane has mentored and coached numerous All-State, All-New England, and All-American wrestlers.  “I am excited to formally accept the position of Assistant Director of Wrestling / Head Women’s Wrestling Coach at Western New England University,” said Keane. I am eager to contribute my skills and passion to the team and university community. I am deeply grateful to Athletic Director Dino Pollock and Director of Wrestling Mike Sugermeyer for entrusting me with the role of Assistant Director of Wrestling and Head Women’s Wrestling Coach at Western New England University. Their support and belief in me are greatly appreciated as I embark on this exciting journey. Thank you for this incredible opportunity.” A 2016 graduate of Springfield College, Keane’s repertoire includes NCAA Division III Regional Champion in the 133 lb. weight class, NCAA National Qualifier in the 133 lb. weight class, a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American, and a two-time NCAA Division III Regional Place winner while with the Pride. Keane graduate from Springfield College with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and followed that up by receiving his master’s degree in business administration from Springfield College in 2017.  A native of Glastonbury, Connecticut, Keane was a two-time New England finalist, one-time New England Champion, a two-time Connecticut State Open Champion (four-time State Place Winner), and three-time Connecticut Class LL State Champion (four-time finalist). Keane recorded an astonishing 182-9 record at Glastonbury High School over his four-year career. Along with his high school career, Keane was a member of the Connecticut Wrestling National Team from 2009-2011.