Mark Hall at Senior Nationals in 2021 (Photo/Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com.com)PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania's Hall of Fame Head Coach of Wrestling, Roger Reina C'84, WEV'05, is excited to announce the addition of Mark Hall to his staff as a volunteer assistant coach for #TheMovement.
"Mark brings extraordinary competitive experience and success, combined with a wealth of technical knowledge and 'wrestling IQ' across collegiate and Olympic styles," said Reina, who will enter his 24th season at the helm in 2021-22. "He embodies the highest marks of competitive excellence along with a great desire to elevate athletes to their ultimate potential."
Following a stellar collegiate career at Penn State, and three age-group World freestyle titles, Hall joined the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC) and this spring captured the US Open title in freestyle.
"The Penn Wrestling community welcomes Mark to our staff, as we accelerate our climb up the national ladder while he continues to represent the PRTC in pursuit of his national and international competitive goals," said Reina.
A 2020 graduate from Penn State, Hall was the 2016-17 NCAA champion at 174 pounds. A three-time NCAA finalist, Hall was the NCAA's top seed at 174 going into the 2020 NCAA Championships before they were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He also was a four-time All-America and three-time Big Ten champion while compiling a remarkable 116-6 collegiate record. The Nittany Lions won the NCAA team title every year in which Hall competed.
"Becoming a coach has been a dream of mine since my freshman year of college," Hall said. "Prior to that, I was going to school to become a teacher. It is in my blood to provide others with life and athletic advice, and I could not be prouder to join the Penn wrestling staff so I can do just that. I can't wait to get to work and help these young men achieve their goals on and off the mat. I also believe this will be a step forward in continuing to commit my energy to accomplishing my competitive goals nationally, and internationally, to become the best athlete I can be."
Hall was one of the most decorated high school wrestlers over the past decade. He won the 2016 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award and became the first person to win six Minnesota State High School Championships. Hall ended an incredible interscholastic career with a 277-4 record "including 171 consecutive wins"and 189 career pins. Hall was a driving force as Apple Valley High School captured six straight state championships. He is the only wrestler ever to earn 12 combined individual and team state titles.
At the national level, Hall is the reigning US Open freestyle champion thanks to going 5-0 at 86kg last month in Iowa. During the tournament, he won four matches by tech fall en route to his fifth freestyle gold medal. Hall also brought home gold at the 2021 America's Cup, the 2019 US Last Chance World Teams Qualifier, and the 2016 US Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier.
Hall's freestyle accolades also include being a two-time USA Wrestling UWW Junior National Champion and winning the 2016 UWW Junior Freestyle Outstanding Wrestler award. He won the FILA Cadet World Championship in 2014, won two Junior World Gold medals (2016 & 2017), was the 2018 Pan American Gold Medalist, and silver medalist at the 2021 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series event in Rome, Italy.
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