How Erin Vandiver plans to build Gannon into a national women's wrestling power
Erin Vandiver recognizes the opportunity at Gannon.
The newly hired Golden Knights’ women’s wrestling coach sees an already-strong program in a wrestling-rich region. She sees a foundation on which she can build a national champion.
Vandiver, a Grove City native who assisted the U.S. Women’s Freestyle National Team before founding the girls program at prep power Wyoming Seminary, will be the third coach in the six-year history of Gannon’s program. She sat down with the Times-News to discuss her plans.
More on Vandiver: Why Erin Vandiver's hire as the Gannon women's wrestling coach is a game-changer
Taking the next step
Question: What was the process like going from Wyoming Seminary to Gannon?
Answer: It was a quick process. It kind of struck us by surprise. It’s been a smooth process and an exciting process, but it was a hard decision to come to because we started the program at Wyoming Seminary in 2017 and really built it from the ground up. That was a cool adventure for me, leaving Colorado Springs and the USA national team office. Wyoming Seminary was a cool experience and I’m very proud of it, but like you said, it’s a process. We were building foundations for them to be able to take the next step (in college), and the exact same things we were preparing those girls for, now I’m doing it as a coach. It’s a cool dynamic, I feel. It’s exciting to see what we’ve created in that developmental age now transpire at the college level. I’m really excited to go through that transition with some of these student-athletes I’ve worked with. Wyoming Seminary will always be very, very special to us, but I’m excited to do more and do better.
Inspirational transformations
Q: While you were building the program, what did you observe and learn about where the sport is at compared to when you left for Colorado two decades ago?
A: A lot. Physically and mentally, girls’ capabilities. The generations kind of change — training methods and habits change, and you need to find that balance of student, athlete and person. It was cool to get to know high school girls and their motivations, the things that are important to them, and apply that to their training. You can just push them. They’re sponges; they love to be pushed and yearn for that training atmosphere. It was cool to see that passion and that spark in so many people. I was the only girl on (my high school) team, so my spark and my passion was a little bit different than my teammates at that age. To see a high school girl with a female team going through those phases of development was really cool to experience. They’re athletes with the same goals and aspirations that I had at that age, so it was really neat. Their physique and athleticism — they love to lift and be conditioned, and that was really inspiring to me.
Potential growth at Gannon
Q: What opportunity do you see at Gannon?
A: A lot. And that’s why we are here. There is so much opportunity and potential for growth here, and the building of a good culture. Wrestling is a thick tradition in our region. There are a lot of wrestlers and passion out there, people who want to support athletics.
Q: It’s such a fluid time in college wrestling. More programs, more Power 5 schools starting programs, multiple national tournaments. Where do you see Gannon fitting into the national picture?
A: We’re right in the mix. We finished top 10 (at the 37-team National College Women’s Wrestling Championship) and we’re going to keep climbing. That’s another reason I wanted to make the move and be part of the college scene at a strong university such as Gannon. We want to be part of that growth, part of that explosion, and we’re going to keep climbing here. I think Gannon is going to be very competitive. We’re going to keep growing the wrestling room and the competition venue, and these girls’ goals are going to keep climbing with them.
Intense climate for recruiting
Q: How has the recruiting landscape changed as the sport has grown?
A: A lot for sure. When I graduated from high school, there were five colleges with women’s wrestling. Now, there are around 150. So, it’s competitive. It’s exciting and I’m very proud of that; it shows a lot of respect for these girls that they’re being recruited by top colleges. Having a national championship now and having NCAA emerging sport status, that’s just tremendous. It’s phenomenal to see that growth and development, and because the caliber of wrestling is climbing, the recruiting game is getting intense. To give these girls across the U.S. the opportunity to go to school on a scholarship, get their degree and become professionals, but also live out their passion for wrestling, is just awesome.
Q: Are you recruiting nationally?
A: Yes, and internationally. We have a lot of good wrestlers in Pennsylvania, so I’m excited to be right here in the hot bed of wrestling. We can have strong in-state girls, out-of-state girls, international girls. We have international girls on our team right now and plan to continue to do the same.
Building skill sets beyond the mat
Q: People are aware that women’s wrestling is growing. What should they pay attention to regarding the sport’s future?
A: These girls who are building the skill sets to go on and be professionals, to be leaders in the community. It’s going to raise the level of profound things that we can accomplish. Everyone says that wrestlers make the best employees. People who are driven, goal-oriented and can work with a team. Wrestling also incorporates individuality, so they’re building a skill set that makes good, successful people and strong communities, and that’s what’s going to be nice to see when they go and serve their communities even after wrestling. I’m excited to see that for them.
Predicting the future
Q: Five years from now, where do you hope to have the program?
A: We’re going to be national champs. Keep that Dixon Trophy coming back here, increasing our academic and athletic all-Americans. We’ll be running hard all year long.
Contact Jeff Uveino at juveino@timesnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter,@realjuveino.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Gannon women's wrestling: Vandiver set to build on strong foundation
