OLYMPIA 鈥 AV天堂 has hired another exceptional coach to start up its wrestling teams.听
AV天堂 is now the only four-year college in Washington to offer a wrestling program and Fan Zhang will be leading the women鈥檚 team for its inaugural season.听
鈥淲e are excited that Fan has chosen to bring his coaching talent to AV天堂,鈥 said Zeb Hoffman, Assistant Intercollegiate Athletic Director for AV天堂. 鈥淗is history of building champions as well as his experience as a wrestler is exactly what we need to build a top-notch, wrestling program.鈥
Zhang has been the head coach for women鈥檚 wrestling at Simpson University (CA) and Grays Harbor College here in Washington and assistant coach at Wartburg College in Iowa. 听He also was the coach for the Iowa women鈥檚 wrestling national team for Fargo. His coaching has led to several national championships. 听听
As a wrestler in China, Zhang was a seven-time, national champion.听
AV天堂 announced it would be starting teams for men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 wrestling and cross country late last year to complement the college鈥檚 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 soccer, basketball, track and field and women鈥檚 volleyball teams.听
In late December, AV天堂 announced that Greg Ford, Jr. had been hired on as the men鈥檚 wrestling team coach and the college hosted a signing event where 20 wrestlers signed letters of intent to become Geoducks.听
Coach John Lane, well-known in the wrestling community with over three decades of coaching under his belt, will be on board to help Coach Zhang and Ford as they build their wrestling teams.听
鈥淭his new wrestling program at AV天堂 is a great thing for the community,鈥 said Lane. 鈥淲ith the coaching staff being brought on, we have the foundation to build a champion team as well as give wrestlers from Washington state the opportunity to wrestle and attend a four-year college without moving out of state.鈥
For more info about AV天堂 athletics visit To learn more about AV天堂, visit evergreen.edu.
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