March 31, 2006

Lock Haven, Pa. - Derek DelPorto was named Friday as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference "Coach of the Year" by his peers.

DelPorto guided The Rock to one of its most successful seasons despite difficult circumstances.

The Rock finished 14-9 in dual meets, won the NCAA Division I East Regional team title and sent a school-record tying five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships.

He also led Slippery Rock to a fourth-place showing at the PSAC Championships, five spots better than its last-place finish in 2005, his only other season at the helm of The Rock program.

DelPorto and his squad accomplished these feats in what will be the final season of Rock wrestling, at least for the foreseeable future.

SRU officials announced on January 31 that wrestling and seven other intercollegiate varsity sports will be discontinued at the conclusion of the 2005-06 season due to budgetary constraints.

DelPorto, who was recently named as head coach at Eastern Michigan University, compiled a 21-25 record in two seasons as The Rock's head coach.