January
31, 2008
(release courtesy of Steven Phelps, Buena Vista University sports
information director)
STORM
LAKE, IOWA . . . Buena Vista Director of Athletics,
Jan Travis, has announced that current assistant
wrestling coach, Sevond Cole, will be promoted
to head coach following the conclusion of this season. Cole
will replace Mark Schwab who announced his
resignation on Tuesday, effective May 31, 2008.
“I
feel Sevond is an excellent choice,” Travis said. “He’s
served as an assistant with the program under two great mentors
(Mark Schwab and Al Baxter), and I have the
confidence that he can take over the program and carry on the
strong BVU wrestling tradition.”
Cole
returned this season for his second stint with the Beaver wrestling
program after having served as an assistant under Baxter from
2001-06. He spent last season as a volunteer wrestling coach,
as well as a middle school science instructor, in the Griswold
School District.
“Having
been part of the wrestling program for more than a decade, you
can imagine how excited I am to have the opportunity to continue
the strong wrestling tradition that we have here at Buena Vista,”
Cole stated. “I feel blessed to have worked with two amazing
coaches in my years as an assistant coach - most recently Mark
Schwab and Al Baxter before that. I have learned a lot from
both coaches and will continue to hold the bar high for BVU
wrestling.”
Prior
to joining the BVU staff in 2001, Cole was a two-time All-American
for Baxter and the Beavers (1999 and 2000) at 174 pounds. He
also captured a conference championship in 1999, while also
being tabbed a Scholar All-American in 2000.
“I
personally believe Sevond will do a great job” Schwab
noted. A few reasons that come to mind are that he truly cares
about BVU, he was a 2-time All-American here, and a graduate
always personalizes the roots that run deep in your efforts
to bring out the best in the athletes and a program. He is not
looking for something else. This is what he wants - a "dream
job" so to speak. I also think that what he learned from
Coach Baxter, and hopefully myself, has prepared him to run
a top flight program.”
“Needless
to say, we are thrilled that Coach Cole has agreed to become
our new head coach,” said BVU President Fred Moore.
“He was an outstanding student-athlete in every sense
of the word and has contributed mightily as an assistant coach.
He is the perfect person to lead our program into the future.”
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