Dernlan named head coach at Binghamton

The wait is over. After several weeks of searching for a head wrestling coach, Binghamton has hired Clarion head coach Matt Dernlan.

Dernlan, a longtime assistant coach, accepted the position this week and is already on campus. He takes over Pat Popolizio, who was hired as North Carolina State's head coach last month.

Matt Dernlan and Troy Letters coaching at the 2012 NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)

"I'm thrilled to be the new head coach at Binghamton," said Dernaln who only nine months ago was hired by Clarion to turn around its struggling wrestling program. "You don't head into the job and think 'I'm about to jump.' Clarion has lots of great alumni and a history of distinguished wrestlers. I would never have considered the jump, but they contacted and pursued me. And when I saw that they were excited about the program level at the administrative level, that really appealed to me."

Dernlan leaves behind a Clarion program that finished 18th in the nation with two All-Americans, James Fleming (157) and Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (165). Clarion is expected to name head assistant coach Troy Letters as the interim head coach and then will open up the position for a national search.

"Obviously, Troy is one of my closest friends," said Dernlan. "He's like a brother to me. One of the things I wanted to do when I took the Clarion job last year was to position him to eventually become a head coach. If I could bring him over her to Binghamton I would do anything in the world to make it happen, but for him to have this chance is a really exciting thing. Knowing Troy, I think he'll take that opportunity and run with it."

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Dernlan named head coach at Binghamton

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