CLINTON, S.C. – The interim leader of the Presbyterian College women's wrestling program's greatest season last winter,
Brian Vutianitis, has been elevated to the permanent head coaching position for the Blue Hose. Announced on Monday afternoon by PC Director of Athletics Rob Acunto, Vutianitis becomes the third head coach of women's wrestling in school history after guiding Presbyterian to a ninth-place national finish in 2023.
"After conducting a nationwide search, we are confident that coach Vutianitis is the right person to continue leading our nationally-ranked women's wrestling program", commented Acunto. "Brian demonstrated his ability to attract top talent while serving in the interim coaching role, and his administrative skills were worthy of being strongly considered to become the permanent head coach. Throughout the interview process, his passion for PC and his desire to continue developing our Division I women's wrestling program made him standout".
"With the John McIntosh Athletic Center – the MAC – becoming the new home for PC women's wrestling in the fall, it is also fitting that Brian will continue to build our women's wrestling program into a national powerhouse".
"I am beyond excited for the opportunity to continue my coaching career here at Presbyterian, an institution that I've grown extremely fond of over the past two years", reflected Vutianitis on the promotion. "I could not be more grateful to extend upon the path that has already been paved in the short history of our program, and I cannot wait to carry on the championship-level expectations that Blue Hose women's wrestling has already established".
Vutianitis added "I'd like to thank our men's wrestling head coach, Mark Cody, for taking a chance on me and giving me the platform to enhance Presbyterian's culture of success. I would also like to say thank you to Mr. Acunto, and every individual on the hiring committee for upholding the effort to ensure this program welcomed the most suitable candidate for the position".
Taking control of the program mid-season after arriving in Clinton as a volunteer assistant, Presbyterian soared to some of its best performances with Vutianitis running the show, including the aforementioned NCWWC nationwide tournament of which six Blue Hose wrestlers qualified. PC collected 191 individual wins from November to March, placing three nationally-ranked grapplers by the season's conclusion.
Vutianitis helped the Blue Hose assemble an 8-3 record when in dual competition, although his squad shined brightest under the bracket system with 30 finishes inside the top three from five different wrestlers. Three competitors passed the 30-win threshold on the campaign, granting Presbyterian a final national ranking that was six spots higher than the previous year.
PC proved equally-efficient away from the mats and in the classroom, sporting a 2022 Fall Term team GPA of 3.38. Sophomore
Sierra Marie Miller and freshman
Paige Wehrmeister were included among the exclusive list of Scholar All-Americans via the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), making the cut of 134 individuals countrywide.
Coming to Clinton after a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Coker University in Hartsville, SC., Vutianitis assisted in the development of eight Scholar All-Americans under the Cobras' umbrella, ranking fifth on the NWCA top 20 academic poll. He would receive a Masters of Science degree from Coker in 2021, later garnering an additional Masters of Arts from Liberty University.
Prior to his stint with the Cobras, Vutianitis enacted a two-year long service as the head wrestling coach at the State University of New York at Ulster Community College. This came after a collegiate career at D-III SUNY Cortland that included a selection to the ECWC All-Conference roster as a two-time team captain. Transitioning to the coaching ranks in the Empire State, he guided seven national qualifiers from 2018-2020, with six team members landing Academic All-Conference criteria and four of those nods extending to All-Region.
