Frank Molinaro Returns to Penn State Wrestling Team as Assistant Coach

Frank Molinaro at the 2014 World Team Trials. Photo: Tony Rotundo/WrestlersAreWarriors.com

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Former Penn State National Champion and four-time All-American Frank Molinaro is returning to Happy Valley as an assistant coach. One of Penn State’s all-time greats, Molinaro joins head coach Cael Sanderson’s staff after two years as an assistant at Rutgers.


Molinaro closed out a stellar Penn State career in 2012 with an undefeated senior campaign. He posted a 33-0 record, including 11 majors, seven tech falls and four pins. Molinaro won his second straight Big Ten 149-pound title in Purdue and then followed that up by claiming the NCAA title in St. Louis with a decisive 4-1 win over Minnesota’s Dylan Ness. Molinaro earned 2012 Big Ten Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler honors as well that year. He left Penn State as the school’s fifth four-time All-American with a 121-29 career record.


As a junior, Molinaro went 32-3 this season and advanced to the NCAA finals at 149. He ended his junior year as the 2011 NCAA National Runner-Up and the 2011 Big Ten Champion at 149, thus earning first team All-Big Ten laurels. During his sophomore year, Molinaro went 32-3 and placed fifth at NCAAs in his first season at 149. Molinaro went 23-19 as a red-shirt freshman and went from an unseeded grappler to an eight-place All-America finish at 141 pounds.


He left Penn State as a two-time Big Ten Champion, a four-time All-American, a two-time NCAA finalist and one-time National Champion. He is currently 10th on Penn State’s all-time wins list with 121 and 11th on the all-time matches wrestled list with 150. Molinaro is tied for seventh on Penn State’s all-time NCAA tournament win list with 17.


Molinaro began his collegiate coaching career at Rutgers in 2011-12 and spent two years with the Scarlet Knights. During his time with Rutgers, he assisted in coaching the school’s first All-American since 2002.


Molinaro is married to Kera (Bolen) Molinaro, an assistant coach with the Penn State women’s gymnastics team.


Penn State begins the 2014-15 on Sunday, Nov. 9, with a 2 p.m. home dual against Lehigh in Rec Hall. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2014-15 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.