Ryan LeBlanc named the new Head Wrestling Coach at Binghamton

VESTAL, N.Y. - A native of Upstate New York with a track record of success in college wrestling, Ryan LeBlanc has been named the eighth Head Wrestling Coach of Binghamton University, the school's Division of Athletics announced Monday.

"I am honored to be named the next head wrestling coach at Binghamton University," said LeBlanc. "After spending the past 15 years away from home as both an athlete and as a coach, I am excited to return to Upstate New York and begin this new chapter in my life. I can't wait to get to work with the incredible student-athletes here at Binghamton and build on the program's proud tradition. I want to thank Director of Athletics Eugene Marshall, Jr., and Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer Dennis Kalina for this incredible opportunity. I look forward to working with them, the administration and the Binghamton community to help our student-athletes thrive both on and off the mat."

"Ryan's track record of building successful programs and developing NCAA-caliber athletes, combined with his strong New York roots and championship mindset, makes him the ideal leader for Binghamton Wrestling," said Dennis Kalina. "His arrival marks a new and exciting chapter for our program, and we look forward to the energy and excellence he will bring on and off the mat."

LeBlanc, who hails from Morrisville, N.Y., joins Binghamton after successfully serving as the Head Wrestling Coach at The Citadel since 2020. In his five seasons in charge of the Bulldogs, LeBlanc helped the program reach new heights by leading them to 41 dual victories, including a school-record 14 in 2023-24. The Citadel won 22 duals against Southern Conference opponents during that span, with the Bulldogs winning six league duals in each of their last two seasons. As a result of the team's performance during the 2024-25 season, LeBlanc was named Coach of the Year by the Southern Conference.

The Bulldogs' success under LeBlanc also translated to the postseason. The Citadel won five individual SoCon championships, including three in 2025, where the Bulldogs finished second in the conference tournament. That was the team's best finish at the event since 2013-14. Additionally, LeBlanc had eight wrestlers reach the NCAA Wrestling Championships.

In the classroom, the Bulldogs had 15 NWCA Scholar All-Americans under LeBlanc's watch. Twice, the Bulldogs qualified as an NWCA Scholar All-American Team, finishing 13th in the country in team grade point average in 2025 (3.531) and 25th in 2024 (3.361).

"I am incredibly grateful for my time at The Citadel, where I had the privilege of working with outstanding cadet-athletes and a dedicated alumni community who made my years there so meaningful," said LeBlanc.

Before joining The Citadel, LeBlanc developed his coaching skills at another Southern Conference school. He worked as an assistant coach at Appalachian State from 2016-20, with his final two years having him serve as the Co-Head Assistant Coach. Working under Head Wrestling Coach JohnMark Bentley, LeBlanc helped the Mountaineers finish in the top two in the Southern Conference each year, winning three regular season championships in the process. During that time, LeBlanc coached 10 NCAA qualifiers and seven conference champions. In his final season with the Mountaineers in 2019-20, LeBlanc oversaw a historic season for the program. Appalachian State had a school-record six wrestlers qualify for nationals while leading the country with four dual meet shutouts. That year, Appalachian State was also one of three Division I programs with four conference champions, and one of six teams to have all 10 of its starters finish the season with a winning record.

"Ryan is an outstanding choice for Binghamton," said Bentley. "With his New York connections and proven head coaching experience, I think he is the perfect fit for the job. Ryan is a tremendous recruiter and was a great assistant coach in his time here at Appalachian State, where he helped us win numerous championships!"

LeBlanc began his coaching career at SUNY Cortland, where he worked as an assistant from 2014-16. In those two seasons, the Red Dragons finished 13th in 2015 and 7th in 2016 at the NCAA Division III Championships. SUNY Cortland crowned two individual national champions (Joe Giramita at 197 lbs., in 2015 and Bobby Dierna at 157 lbs., in 2016), four All-Americans, four NWCA Scholar All-Americans and seven national qualifiers. LeBlanc is also credited with creating a periodization plan for wrestling, strength and cardiovascular training throughout his time with the Red Dragons.

LeBlanc's transition into coaching began after he enjoyed a prominent collegiate wrestling career at Indiana. While wrestling for the Hoosiers, LeBlanc won 103 matches and qualified for the NCAA Wrestling Championships three times. His best finish in the national tournament came in 2014, when he reached the Round of 12. LeBlanc was a three-time NWCA Academic All-American, a two-year captain and made the Big Ten Academic All-Conference Team four seasons in a row. In 2014, he received the Big Ten Medal of Honor, one of the most prestigious conference awards in college athletics. The award is given to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who attains, "the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." He went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Indiana in 2014 and a master's degree in sport management from SUNY Cortland in 2016.

Coached by his father Duane LeBlanc at Morrisville-Eaton High School, Ryan LeBlanc won back-to-back New York state championships (2008, 09), the first wrestler in school history to accomplish that feat. Ryan LeBlanc was ultimately victorious in 200 matches throughout his high school career. Aside from wrestling, LeBlanc also competed in soccer and tennis.

LeBlanc takes over a Binghamton program with a strong foundation in place. In 2024-25, the Bearcats went 10-9 overall in dual competition, including a 5-3 mark against EIWA opponents. It is the first season where Binghamton won at least 10 duals since 2018-19. Brevin Cassella won the program's fifth individual EIWA championship, as he and Cory Day went on to qualify for nationals. After going 9-4 in 2023-24, the Bearcats won at least nine duals in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2017-18 and 2018-19. Those seasons, Binghamton went 12-5 and 10-3 respectively.