Mike Pucillo hired to assist with management of Ohio Regional Training Center

Mike Pucillo won an NCAA title for Ohio State in 2008. Photo by Kevin Schlosser, Buckeyewrestling.com.


Mike Pucillo knows what it takes to succeed in the sport of wrestling.


The recent graduate of Ohio State University won an NCAA championship in 2008, and also placed second and sixth nationally during his standout career with the Buckeyes.


Now Pucillo is taking on a new role. The recent college graduate has been hired to perform a variety of duties for the Ohio Regional Training Center in Columbus.


Pucillo will assist past World Team freestyle member Tommy Rowlands, who is the director of the Ohio RTC. He will assist the Ohio RTC with membership, events, marketing and public relations.


"The Ohio RTC's reach has grown to the point where we need assistance in the daily management of our organization" Rowlands said. "We are extremely excited to have Mike on board. He is passionate about wrestling and the state of Ohio. He is a great fit to help us go to the next level."


Rowlands, fifth at the 2007 World Championships, recently resumed training after nearly two years away from competition. He placed third at heavyweight at last month's U.S. Open in Cleveland.


Pucillo is scheduled to begin his new position on May 17. He graduated from Ohio State with a degree in communications technology.


"Tommy's done a great job, and the point of me coming on is to help him with a lot of the day-to-day activities since he's competing again" Pucillo said. "I have a communications and marketing background, and I understand how to use new media and incorporating that into a business plan. I was a hard worker when I was on the mat, and I think I will transform that over into what I'm doing with the Ohio RTC. I'm excited to be a part of this."


Pucillo said he likely is done competing.


"My body was pretty beat up at the end of my college career" he said. "I can always come in and roll around with the RTC guys if I want."


In addition to Rowlands, the Ohio RTC includes top wrestlers in 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev, 2009 World Team member Shawn Bunch, 2010 World Cup member J.D. Bergman and World University silver medalist Reece Humphrey.


Bunch and Bergman won titles at the 2010 U.S. Open while Dlagnev placed second.


"We have an awesome group of guys in here - we have some great wrestlers and some great people" Pucillo said. "It's going to be fun to be a part of it."


Pucillo beat Iowa State's Jake Varner in the 2008 NCAA finals at 184 pounds in St. Louis. Varner went on to win two NCAA titles and made the 2009 U.S. World Team in freestyle.


Pucillo fell to Northwestern's Jake Herbert in the 2009 NCAA finals in St. Louis. Herbert went on to win the Hodge Trophy as the nation's top collegiate wrestler that season. Herbert then won a World silver medal last September.


Pucillo was a three-time All-American for Ohio State before falling short of placing in an injury-plagued senior season in 2010.


He lost his first match at the 2010 NCAAs in Omaha to returning NCAA runner-up Mike Miller of Central Michigan. Pucillo won four straight matches before falling one win short of All-American honors.


"That was a tough way to finish my career" he said. "It's a pretty long road when you lose in the first round. I would have needed to win eight matches in a row to come all the way back to finish third."