Dubuque Adds NCAA Champion Ashnault to Princeton Staff

A few weeks ago, we posted an interview with Princeton’s second year head coach Joe Dubuque. Coach Dubuque was excited to talk about his new coaching staff, but unable to specifically mention two new members because the hires weren’t official through the Princeton athletic department. 

That changed today as the team announced they’ve hired Anthony Ashnault as an assistant coach. He'll join Cody Brewer on the Tigers staff for the 2024-25 season. 

Ashnault needs no introduction to fans of New Jersey wrestling. The undefeated, four-time state champion stayed in-state for college and went to Rutgers, where he captured three Big Ten titles and earned All-American honors in all four seasons competing with the Scarlet Knights. As a senior, Ashnault went a perfect 32-0 to claim a national title at 149 lbs and led Rutgers to a ninth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championships. 

Ashnault spent the 2021-22 season on the Rutgers staff but stepped down after a year to focus on his freestyle career. 

In Austin Sommer’s interview with Dubuque, he stressed the importance of having a specific coach to work with the lightweights, middleweights, and heavyweights. With Brewer already aboard and presumably working with the smaller guys, it works out well as Ashnault can handle the middleweights. 

We’ll be ready when Dubuque and the Princeton athletic department announce their final hire.