Staff
Head Coach at the University of Virginia
Steve Garland

2000 NCAA Runner Up
2000 ACC Wrestler of the Year
1997 ACC Champion
2006 NWCA National Asst. Coach of the Year
2010 ACC Coach of the Year
2x ACC Team Champions

Former Cavalier All-American Steve Garland is serving in his 12th season as head wrestling coach at Virginia. A master motivator, recruiter and coach, Garland has worked diligently to push the Cavaliers among the nation's elite. The results of Garland's perseverance are evident.

In Garland's first 11 seasons at Virginia, the Cavaliers earned 10 All-America honors and 17 ACC individual titles while qualifying 66 to the NCAA Championships and recording Top-25 team finishes at NCAAs in six of the last eight years. He also led the Cavaliers to two ACC Championships, claiming the title in 2010 and 2015.

Virginia has had at least one All-American in six of the last eight seasons. UVA has a 134-63 dual record during Garland’s tenure, as he ranks second in dual wins in school history. The Virginia wrestling program also has been a standout in the classroom; in 2013 UVA was honored by the NWCA as one of the top academic teams in the nation.

Garland and his staff have brought in 11 straight Top-25 recruiting classes, including a program-best No. 5 ranking for the 2015 class. His 2007 recruiting class, which included UVA’s first three-time NCAA All-American, Chris Henrich, was ranked No. 5 nationally by W.I.N. Magazine and No. 8 by InterMat.

In the most recent season, 2016-17, Garland coached George DiCamillo (141 pounds) and Jack Mueller (125 pounds) to All-America honors. DiCamillo became the third NCAA finalist in program history, while Mueller advanced to the semifinals and became the program’s first freshman to earn All-America honors. DiCamillo was named the ACC Wrestler of the Year, while Mueller was named the ACC Freshman Wrestler of the Year.

In the 2015-16 season, Garland coached five wrestlers to NCAA Championship appearances, including three-time ACC Champion George DiCamillo (133 pounds) who became only the seventh wrestler in UVA history to earn three ACC Championships in his career.

Virginia won its second ACC Championship under Garland in 2015 and earned a 19th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Three Cavaliers made the NCAA Round of 12 and seven qualified for NCAAs, with Nick Sulzer (165 pounds) advancing through to claim All-America honors for the third straight year as he became the second three-time All-American in program history. Virginia rolled to the ACC Championship by 14.5 points over Pitt as Sulzer and George DiCamillo each won titles while all 10 Cavaliers finished in the top four at their respective weight classes. UVa defeated four ranked opponents during the dual season, including a pair of top-10 foes, Edinboro and Pitt.

Garland won ACC Coach of the Year honors in 2010 as the Cavaliers won the ACC title for the first time since 1977. UVa took 15th place at the NCAA Championships – the second-best NCAA finish in program history. A school-record eight Cavaliers qualified for the NCAA event. At the ACC Championships, Henrich and freshman Mike Salopek won individual championships but the championship was a total team effort. All 10 competing Cavaliers reached the semifinal round and posted finishes of fourth place or better. Henrich finished 35-3, while Brent Jones earned the Gorrarian Trophy at the NCAA Championships.

Garland, a 2000 Virginia graduate, was a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference finalist and winner of the ACC championship at 125 pounds in 1997. He qualified for the NCAA championships in each of his three years of competition. At the 2000 NCAA Championships, Garland earned All-America honors, falling in the national title match after he upset the top seed, Jody Strittmatter of Iowa, 9-7 in overtime, in the quarterfinals. Garland currently is tied for 14th all-time in career wins at UVA (91).

In 2000, Garland was named the ACC Wrestler of the Year. In his career, he compiled 91 wins, including a 30-5 mark during his senior season, when he competed in the NWCA All-Star meet. He also was a member of the 50th Anniversary Atlantic Coast Conference Team.

Assistant Coach at the University of Virginia
Travis Paulson

2010 World Team Member
Olympic Alternate
3x NCAA All American
University National Finalist
Former Interim Head Coach Iowa State

Travis Paulson, a three-time All-American at the NCAA Division I level, is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Virginia wrestling program.

Paulson joins the Cavaliers after spending the last eight seasons at his alma mater Iowa State. He served as an assistant coach for the Cyclones from 2009 through 2017 before being named the interim head coach at Iowa State in February after the resignation of then-head coach Kevin Jackson.

“Travis has succeeded at every level in this sport,” Garland said. “His accomplishments, both on and off the mat, and as both a coach and competitor, are impressive. But, that’s not the most exciting thing about him. What drew me to Travis was the reputation he has in the wrestling community, especially with his student-athletes.”

“I was first interested in the opportunity at Virginia because of Steve Garland and what he represents as a leader,” Paulson said. “I had an opportunity to hear him speak at an FCA event during the NCAA Championships and was blown away. After visiting Charlottesville and seeing what UVA offered academically and athletically, it was an opportunity I could not pass up. I’m excited to get settled and hit the ground running.”

In his time at Iowa State, Paulson coached the middleweights and had a key role in the development of several wrestlers for the Cyclones. He served as the individual coach for two NCAA champions in Jon Reader in 2011 and Kyven Gadson in 2015, and helped develop five NCAA champions in his time as an assistant coach. Paulson coached 15 All-Americans with the Cyclones, including coaching All-American Mike Moreno to the biggest turnaround in Iowa State history. Moreno went from a 4-17 record in 2012 to All-America honors in 2013 with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and a 31-10 record.

A tireless recruiter, Paulson brought in the third-ranked recruiting class in 2016 and the second-ranked recruiting class in 2017 at Iowa State.

“The young men he has mentored truly love him and believe in him,” Garland said. “That type of impact is what we want in our program. We aren’t just bringing in a world team member who can help our wrestlers technically. We are bringing in a mentor and leader they can look up to. He is someone they will have a relationship with for years to come.”

Prior to his coaching position at Iowa State, Paulson spent a season as an assistant coach at Nebraska. During that 2008-09 season, he helped develop four All-Americans and one NCAA Champion in Jordan Burroughs. Paulson also helped coach Nebraska to the Big 12 championship that season and a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.

A four-year letterwinner at Iowa State, Paulson redshirted during the 2002-03 season. He was a three-time All-American for the Cyclones, a U.S. Open National Champion and a senior level World Team member. Paulson also earned first-team Academic Big 12 Conference honors, first team Academic All-America honors and was named to the Dean’s List.

Following his collegiate wrestling career, Paulson was twice selected as an alternate to the U.S. Olympic Team (2008, 2012) and was a four-time National Team member. He served as a freestyle coach for the University World Championships and was a two-time coach for the U.S. freestyle FILA Cadet Team in the Pan Am Games in 2014 and 2015.

Assistant Coach at the University of Virginia
Trent Paulson

NCAA Champion
World Team Member
University National Champion
Head Coach of CWC-RTC

Trent Paulson is in his first season as an assistant coach with the Virginia wrestling program. Paulson, who most recently served as an assistant coach at Iowa State over the past three seasons, joins his brother Travis on the Virginia coaching staff.

“I’m excited for our student-athletes to learn and work with Trent,” Garland said. “He has a passion for teaching and a heart for impacting those he mentors. Perhaps the biggest plus is that he and I share the same foundational beliefs. This is going to be huge for us moving forward personally and professionally. Trent has high goals and big dreams for this program, so that’s exciting. I could not be happier that he chose to come to Virginia.”

“I have never heard a single person say anything negative about Coach Garland,” Paulson said. “The first time we hung out, we clicked personality wise. Instantly I knew we could feed off each other. Steve is a man of character, wants to win the right way and is serious about developing champions on and off the mat. How could you not want to help a man like that build a dynasty? I could not be more excited to get to work.”

Paulson helped coach the middleweights at Iowa State over the previous three seasons. During his time on the Cyclone staff, Iowa State produced four All-Americans and an NCAA champion at 197 pounds in Kyven Gadson. In addition to working with the middleweights, he also assisted in recruiting, helping secure the third-ranked recruiting class in 2016 and the second-ranked recruiting class in 2017.

In addition to his coaching and recruiting responsibilities, Trent Paulson also served as a fundraiser and the head coach of the Cyclone Wrestling Club. He served on the staff of the Cyclone Wrestling Club beginning in 2009 before taking over head coaching responsibilities for the club in 2012.

Prior returning to Iowa State in 2009, Trent Paulson served as a volunteer assistant coach at Nebraska. In that season, the Huskers produced four All-Americans, including NCAA champion Jordan Burroughs at 157 pounds.

“Trent’s resume and accomplishments as a competitor are incredible,” Garland said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge to our program in terms of technique and development for our student-athletes, and frankly, for me as well. I’m excited to mentor him as well, because after 17 years in this profession I feel I have some things I can help him with also.”

A successful wrestler himself, Trent Paulson claimed the NCAA Championship at 157 pounds in 2007. He earned All-America honors three times in his career (2005-07) and he twice claimed the Big 12 championship, placing first in 2006 and 2007. Paulson also earned Academic All-America honors twice.

Following his collegiate wrestling career, Trent Paulson continued to wrestle. He was a four-time National Team member (2008-2012) and a World Team member in 2009. He was a US Open National Champion in 2009 and was a Pan American Champion in 2012.

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