Scott Sentes (Photo/Bennett Scarborough)BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- After helping Campbell's wrestling program to unprecedented heights, Scotti Sentes has been named head coach, announced today by director of athletics Omar Banks.
Since arriving at Campbell, Sentes has helped the Camels to three Southern Conference tournament championships, as well as back to back dual titles over the last four seasons, the program's first NCAA Division I championships.
"I am thankful to Omar Banks, Wanda Watkins, and Hannah Bazemore and the entire CU athletic department for affording me this incredible opportunity," said Sentes. "I would also like to thank Cary Kolat and the CU alumni who encouraged and recommended me for this position. Campbell is a special place and I will do everything I can to continue making this program proud."
"The Campbell community is very pleased to have Coach Sentes as our next head wrestling coach," Banks said. "As interest began to escalate, we knew we wanted someone who could fit the culture that was developed within the program and continue the upward trajectory that has been established. Having served under one of the best coaches in the sport of wrestling for the last four years, he presented and articulated a vision for the future of the program, which let us know that we had our coach. We are very excited for the future of Campbell wrestling under Coach Sentes' leadership."
Sentes replaces former head coach Cary Kolat, who took the same position at Navy after six seasons at Campbell.
The Ft. Myers, Fla. native has coached 19 total NCAA qualifiers, 13 All-SoCon performers and 12 conference champions over the last four seasons in Buies Creek, in addition to the 2020 SoCon Wrestler of the Year, Noah Gonser, and the program's first All-American in 2017, Nathan Kraisser. Sentes has also coached two SoCon Freshman of the Year honorees, with Austin Kraisser in 2017 and Korbin Meink in 2018.
The Camels enjoyed their best season in program history in 2019-20, taking their second straight SoCon tournament and dual titles behind six NCAA qualifiers, matching a school record. Five Camels earned SoCon championships, another school record, while five were named All-SoCon. Going 11-2 overall and a perfect 7-0 in SoCon competition, Campbell was ranked as high as No. 12 (InterMat) in the national rankings.
Sentes was elevated to associate head coach following the 2018-19 season that saw the Camels sweep the SoCon's tournament and regular season championships for the first time in program history, going 5-1 in the league and 7-1 overall. CU also sent six to the NCAA Championships, earning its first ever top-25 national ranking. The Camels also fashioned a 10th place finish at the prestigious Midlands Championships, an all-time best for the program.
Additionally, Campbell took National Wresting Coaches Association Division I Academic Team honors for the third-straight year in 2019. The Camels finished 13th nationally in the standings with an outstanding 3.28 team GPA, posting a top-25 academic finish for the fifth time in program history. Campbell took ninth in 2017-18 after finishing No. 21 in 2016-17.
In 2017-18, CU sent two more qualifiers to the NCAA Championships, also earning four spots on the All-SoCon team. Campbell finished third at the SoCon Championships, going 8-8 overall and 5-2 in the regular season.
In his first season at Campbell, Sentes helped guide the Camels to their first conference championship, with seven medalists and a pair of individual champions at the 2017 SoCon tournament. A then-school record five Camels traveled to the NCAA Championships, including All-American Nathan Kraisser.
Sentes came to Campbell after spending three years as the head assistant coach at Cal Poly under Coach Brendan Buckley. He helped push the team to raise its GPA from a 2.39 in 2012 to a 2.77 cumulative average in 2015-16 as well as sending three grapplers to the NCAA Championships.
Sentes initiated Cal Poly's first outdoor wrestling match in 2013 which started a nationwide trend for programs to hold their own outdoor wrestling matches. He bolstered the Mustangs' social media footprint, increasing the program's likes by 330 percent on Facebook, doubling the followers on Twitter and gained nearly 1,750 followers on Instagram after only a year after the page's establishment.
A two-time All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier as a wrestler at Central Michigan, Sentes placed fourth in the NCAA finals at 133 pounds as a junior in 2011 and seventh at 125 as a freshman in 2009.
He won Mid-American conference titles in 2009 and 2011 while claiming third in 2010 and 2013. Sentes amassed a 108-33 career record at Central Michigan, going 55-12 in duals and 17-1 against MAC competition.
While wrestling at Central Michigan, Sentes was active in helping as a clinician for wrestling clinics and camps. He founded and was the head coach of Team Anaconda Blood and was a coach for National Team Florida, which prepared wrestlers for national competition during the high school offseason. He was also an instructor for the Riverdale Wrestling Club while still wrestling in high school.
Sentes was a four-time Florida state high school champion while attending Riverdale High School, compiling a 213-3 career prep record and winning his last 140 matches. He also finished runner-up in the state finals at 103 pounds while competing with the varsity as an eight-grader in 2004. He was 51-0 with 36 falls as a senior. Sentes also won a senior nationals title in 2008.
Sentes joined the Cal Poly coaching ranks after graduating from Central Michigan in 2013, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in English.
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