Aug. 12, 2004

Slippery Rock, Pa. - Derek DelPorto, a former All-America performer and assistant coach at Slippery Rock University and a 1999 SRU graduate, was recently named as The Rock's interim head wrestling coach.

DelPorto accepted a one-year contract to serve as The Rock's head coach, according to Paul Lueken, SRU's Director of Athletics.

DelPorto returns to The Rock after a four-year absence, during which time he served two seasons each as an assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma and Cornell University.

He began his coaching career during the 1999-2000 season as a Rock assistant coach under Steve Roberts before joining the Oklahoma staff headed by former Rock All-America performer Jack Spates in 2000.

DelPorto finished his Rock career with a 116-38 record in four seasons of competition, which ranks as the third-best win total in Rock history. He earned NCAA Division I All-America honors in 1999 after garnering an eighth-place national finish as a heavyweight competitor.

The latest addition to a list of eight Rock wrestlers who have earned Division I All-America honors, DelPorto was a three-time East Regional champion. He won the heavyweight title in 1998 and 1999 after claiming the 177-pound title as a freshman in 1996.

DelPorto also captured the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference heavyweight individual championship as a junior in 1998.

A native of Erie and graduate of Cathedral Prep High School, DelPorto succeeds Jim Harshaw as The Rock's head coach.

Harshaw coached two seasons at SRU before accepting a position last spring at his alma mater, the University of Virginia.

The addition of DelPorto increases to 10 the number of SRU graduates now serving as head coaches at their alma mater. He joins a group that includes Dave Crunkleton (golf), Sarah Dunn (field hockey), Laurel Heilman (women's basketball), Dr. George Mihalik (football), John Papa (cross country/track and field), Matt Meredith (tennis), Matt Thompson (men's soccer), Andy Waeger (swimming) and Jim Yeamans (water polo).