Princeton turns to New Jerseyan for new wrestling head coach

Joe Dubuque, who was an integral part of the Princeton University wrestling program's coaching staff the last 10 seasons, was named the Tigers' head coach Tuesday, Princeton announced on its website.

Dubuque, who was a two-time national champion and three-time All-American at Indiana University and a two-time NJSIAA champion at Glen Ridge High School in Essex County, succeeds Chris Ayres.

Ayres resigned on Sept. 11 after 17 years to become the head coach at Stanford University.

"I am extremely excited for this opportunity. It is absolutely my dream job,” Dubuque said. " “I want to thank John Mack (Princeton's athletic director), Anthony Archbald, Chris Brock and the entire search committee for entrusting me with the future of such an amazing program. I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the amazing alumni such as Rich Tavoso, Johnny Orr, Dave Crisanti, Chris Perez and the many others who believe in me and the program.

"I am thrilled to continue to work with Associate Head Coach Sean Gray as we identify, recruit and develop elite student-athletes with high goals on the mat, in the classroom and in our campus community. We’ve worked together for over 10 years and the addition of Quincy Monday (a two-time NCAA top three finisher and three-time NCAA All-American at Princeton) to the coaching staff only strengthens our passion for Princeton University and Princeton Wrestling as a coaching staff.

"Lastly, I would not be in this position if it wasn’t for my friend and mentor, Chris Ayres, to whom I am forever grateful.''

The associate head coach under Ayres in recent seasons, Dubuque was a major part of the outstanding reconstruction job Ayres did with the Princeton program.

Pat Glory became Princeton's first national champion since 1951 and just its second-ever when he captured the 125-pound championship last season.

Princeton had five wrestlers combine to earn 14 All-American medals since 2016. The Tigers also won the Ivy League title in 2020 for the first time since 1986 and snapped Cornell's 92-match Ivy League winning streak. That same season, Princeton defeated Rutgers for the first time since Dec. 8, 1990, snapping a 23-match losing streak to the Scarlet Knights.

Dubuque won his NCAA championships at 125 pounds in 2005 and 2006.

He won his NJSIAA championships at 112 pounds in 2000 and 119 in 2001.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NCAA wrestling: Princeton taps Joe Dubuque as new wrestling coach