Fergola, who was the head assistant for the past two seasons, has not had to go very far from the Dana campus to fill his staff. Fergola hired four new individuals all of which are Dana College graduates or soon to be.
Taking over the head assistant position vacated by Fergola after moving into the Head coaching position, is Wynn Fangmeier. Fangmeier is no stranger to Dana College as he was a 2x NAIA All-American for the Vikings placing 8th and 3rd. Fangmeier is a 2004 graduate of Dana. Fangmeier's concentration will be the upper weights. In addition to Fangmeier's coaching duties, he will also be working in computer services on Dana's campus.
The 2nd assistant position will be filled by Antonio Barber. Barber is a 2006 graduate of Dana College. He competed for the Vikings the past three years. In 2006, Barber worked as a student assistant coach with his main focus in the strength & conditioning area. Barber will also work with the upper weights and continue his role in strength & conditioning.
Ernie Abariotes will be returning on the Dana coaching staff and will be entering his 14th year. Ernie has spent a majority of his time looking over the Dana College wrestling program that he had once competed for and served as the commander in the head coaching position. He is responsible for producing the school's first-ever wrestling All-American, Virgil Watson, in 1979. Still affiliated with the program, he has spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach.
A native Nebraskan, Abariotes is a Dana College Athletic Hall of Fame member, a 2003 inductee into the Dana College Wrestling Hall of Fame and a member of the Nebraska Wrestling Hall of Fame. Abariotes graduated from Dana in 1965.
Coach Fergola will utilize some youth yet experienced as well by adding two student assistant positions. Filling these positions will be 4x All-Americans Jimmy Rollins and Blair Alderman. Rollins is fresh off winning the 2006 NAIA National title for the Vikings at 133 pounds. Rollins claimed two junior college All-American titles, one of which as a national championship in 2002 as well as two NAIA All-American honors. Rollins, a native from New Jersey will work mostly with the lighter and middle weights.
Alderman was also a 4x All-American. A transfer from North Idaho Community College, Alderman placed twice while at NIC and twice for the Vikings. Alderman will work with Coach Fangmeier and Coach Barber in helping develop the upper weights. Both Alderman and Rollins were part of Fergola's first recruiting class at Dana in 2004.
Fergola will have the luxury of three more former Dana wrestlers serving in Volunteer Coaching positions. Ben Henderson, Marshall Marquardt and Willie Parks will all be assisting with the program. Henderson was a 2x All-American for the Vikings placing 5th in 2005 and 2006 at 157. Henderson will help develop the middle weights. Marquardt, also a 2006 graduate for the Vikings, claimed his first All-American honors in 2006 by placing 7th. Marquardt was also Junior Greco and University Greco All-American. 2x National Champion, Willie Parks will serve in a volunteer role working with middle to upper weights as well as using his time as a coach to train freestyle in his quest to make a world team. Parks was a junior college national champion in 2002 and a NAIA National champion in 2006 for Dana.
"I am very excited to have these great people on my staff," said Head Coach Richard Fergola. They bring experience, work ethic, and loyality to this program. A head coach couldn't wish for a better staff. These guys were great wrestlers and will make outstanding coaches".
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