A man with unique ties to its glorious past has been charged with leading the John Carroll University wrestling program toward a promising future.
 
Mark Hawald, a 2005 graduate of John Carroll University, has been named head coach of the school's intercollegiate wrestling program after an extensive national search.
 
"We are excited that Mark has agreed to continue the strong legacy of John Carroll wrestling as our new head coach," said Laurie Massa, Director Varsity Athletics and Recreation at John Carroll. "He has led two programs in exemplary fashion since he left John Carroll, with successful recruiting and student athlete development. I am happy to welcome him back to lead our wrestling program to even greater levels of achievement competitively, academically, and as a viable part of our community."
 
Hawald arrives at John Carroll after three seasons as head coach at nearby Case Western Reserve and five seasons holding the same position at the University of Mount Union.
 
In his three seasons at Case Reserve, Hawald forged a 12-31 dual meet record in a rebuilding effort. The Spartans had lost 24 consecutive dual meets prior to his arrival. He coached two NWCA Scholar Teams and two NWCA National Scholar Athletes.
 
Over the course of the five years he coached at Mount Union, Hawald guided the Purple Raiders to a pair of top 20 finishes at the NCAA Divison III national championships, including an 8th place showing in 2011. Among his charges were 14 NCAA Division III National Qualifiers and seven NCAA Division III All-Americans.
 
In dual meets, Hawald's teams posted a 42-25 record as the Purple Raiders mentor, including 24-4 over the last two seasons. His teams captured two Ohio Athletic Conference titles, and he was a three-time OAC Coach of the Year. Hawald and his charges also enjoyed success academically, with two designated NWCA Scholar Teams and 12 NWCA National Scholar Athletes
 
In 2011, he was named d3wrestle.com National Coach of the Year.
 
"I have legends to follow in Coach Tony DeCarlo and Coach Kerry Volkmann," said Hawald, who becomes just the third head coach in the 51-year history of the program. "Over the careers of these two men, John Carroll wrestling has won an NCAA Championship, celebrated over 100 individual All-Americans, and has turned hundreds of young men into successful members of our society.  I want to continue and build upon this tradition and that means I have to get to work immediately."
 
Hawald returns to his alma mater, where he spent four seasons (2002-2005) as a student-athlete. As a four-year letterwinner in wrestling, Hawald was a 2004 NCAA Division III All-American (3rd place at 174 pounds), a four-time NCAA Division III national qualifier, and a four-time OAC Champion. He graduated as the program's all-time leader in victories with 122 – a record he shares with Joe Schmidt.
 
His undergraduate success was not limited to the wrestling mat, as he was a three-time NWCA National Scholar Athlete, a 2005 OAC Clyde A. Lamb Award winner (highest honor a student-athlete can receive from the conference), and an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Winner
 
"When I arrived on this campus 15 years ago, my goal was to win an individual NCAA championship," said Hawald, who received his BSBA in 2005 in Accountancy and his Master's in Business Administration in 2007 from John Carroll.  "Every decision I made in my everyday life was guided by this goal.  Today, my goal is mostly the same.  I want to win a NCAA team title and all my time and energy will be focused to get me to this goal"
 
The program Hawald takes over has a hallowed history at John Carroll. The lone Division III national championship won by any sport at the school was claimed by the wrestling team in 1975 – a squad that included his father, Mark J. Hawald.
 
"I am taking over a program that has a storied history and I am proud that my family has been and continues to be a part of it," said Hawald. "My father had a successful career here in the 1970s and coached here in the 1980s.  I have been to matches and practices since I was a baby and even was part of the team's annual trip to Florida when I was just one year old.  I wrestled here and I hope someday my own children will also be Blue Streak wrestlers."