Arizona State gives head coach Zeke Jones a contract extension through 2021
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by Mollie Hanke, ASU
TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil wrestling head coach Zeke Jones has signed a contract extension through 2021 as announced by Vice President for University Athletics and Athletics Director Ray Anderson.
"I can't thank President Michael Crow, Ray Anderson, and [senior associate AD's] Don Bocchi and Scottie Graham and the Sun Devil Wrestling friends and family enough," said Jones. "One person doesn't build the program; it takes a community."
A former Sun Devil, Jones was a three-time All-American and national runner-up as a collegiate wrestler, as well as a member of the 1988 ASU national championship team. An Olympic silver medalist himself, Jones served as head coach of the United States Freestyle Wrestling Team, coaching U.S. Olympians in the 1996, 2000, 2004, 2012, and 2016 Olympic games.
He has won four World Cup Gold medals and was selected The World's Most Technical Wrestler, one of only three Americans ever to receive the award, by United World Wrestling, the international governing body for the sport of wrestling.
"I'm just happy to be a part of that wrestling community here and I'm thankful for their faith in me to build the program," Jones goes on. "I'm excited about what the future holds and glad to partner with the university on the journey."
Jones was Anderson's first coaching hire, starting a long line of highly touted coaching hires at Arizona State that includes the likes of Bob Bowman (men's and women's swimming), Bobby Hurley (men's basketball), and Cliff English (women's triathlon).
"It is important we retain our high-caliber coaching hires and, without a doubt, Coach Jones has made a huge impact in his three years at Arizona State," says Anderson.
Already building an impressive resume at the ASU helm, Jones' first full recruiting class, including heavyweight Tanner Hall and brothers Zahid and Anthony Valencia, was tabbed the No. 1 recruiting class by D1CollegeWrestling.Net, FloWrestling, Intermat, and WIN Magazine.
Anderson continues, "He consistently demands high academic commitment and athletic dedication from our student-athletes and he and his staff worked tirelessly to recruit one of the top-rated recruiting classes in college wrestling history."
He continues to attract the nation's top student-athletes, adding for 2016-17 the likes of Ali Naser, who has defeated two Olympic champions, Jason Tsirtsis, the 2014 NCAA National Champion at Northwestern, and Ryan Millhof, an All-American and Big 12 champion from Oklahoma.
In just two and a half years, he has also signed five No. 1 recruits in their perspective weights and six that were ranked in the top 10 pound for pound. In addition, the Sun Devils have added eight cadet and junior world team members since Jones arrived.
Academics have also been a high priority with Jones at the helm as a department-high eight members of the current roster are part of Barrett Honors College, one of the nation's top honors colleges.
"We're excited to see how our student-athletes thrive under his tutelage."
"I can't thank President Michael Crow, Ray Anderson, and [senior associate AD's] Don Bocchi and Scottie Graham and the Sun Devil Wrestling friends and family enough," said Jones. "One person doesn't build the program; it takes a community."
A former Sun Devil, Jones was a three-time All-American and national runner-up as a collegiate wrestler, as well as a member of the 1988 ASU national championship team. An Olympic silver medalist himself, Jones served as head coach of the United States Freestyle Wrestling Team, coaching U.S. Olympians in the 1996, 2000, 2004, 2012, and 2016 Olympic games.
He has won four World Cup Gold medals and was selected The World's Most Technical Wrestler, one of only three Americans ever to receive the award, by United World Wrestling, the international governing body for the sport of wrestling.
"I'm just happy to be a part of that wrestling community here and I'm thankful for their faith in me to build the program," Jones goes on. "I'm excited about what the future holds and glad to partner with the university on the journey."
Jones was Anderson's first coaching hire, starting a long line of highly touted coaching hires at Arizona State that includes the likes of Bob Bowman (men's and women's swimming), Bobby Hurley (men's basketball), and Cliff English (women's triathlon).
"It is important we retain our high-caliber coaching hires and, without a doubt, Coach Jones has made a huge impact in his three years at Arizona State," says Anderson.
Already building an impressive resume at the ASU helm, Jones' first full recruiting class, including heavyweight Tanner Hall and brothers Zahid and Anthony Valencia, was tabbed the No. 1 recruiting class by D1CollegeWrestling.Net, FloWrestling, Intermat, and WIN Magazine.
Anderson continues, "He consistently demands high academic commitment and athletic dedication from our student-athletes and he and his staff worked tirelessly to recruit one of the top-rated recruiting classes in college wrestling history."
He continues to attract the nation's top student-athletes, adding for 2016-17 the likes of Ali Naser, who has defeated two Olympic champions, Jason Tsirtsis, the 2014 NCAA National Champion at Northwestern, and Ryan Millhof, an All-American and Big 12 champion from Oklahoma.
In just two and a half years, he has also signed five No. 1 recruits in their perspective weights and six that were ranked in the top 10 pound for pound. In addition, the Sun Devils have added eight cadet and junior world team members since Jones arrived.
Academics have also been a high priority with Jones at the helm as a department-high eight members of the current roster are part of Barrett Honors College, one of the nation's top honors colleges.
"We're excited to see how our student-athletes thrive under his tutelage."
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