The West Liberty University community is mourning the loss of Pitt-Johnstown athletic director and head wrestling coach Pat Pecora, a collegiate wrestling legend who passed away peacefully Sunday morning at the age of 70 following a courageous battle with cancer. The 1975 West Liberty graduate was college wrestling's all-time winningest coach with a staggering 661-154-5 record in 48 seasons as a head coach – all at Pitt-Johnstown.
"It is with a heavy heart that we hear of the passing of Pat Pecora," West Liberty athletic director Brad Forshey said. "Coach Pecora was the epitome of a legend in collegiate wrestling. He was a true ambassador of the sport and an amazing person. On behalf of the entire West Liberty community, we extend our deepest condolences to the Pecora family."
A four-year starter, three-time conference champion and two-time NAIA national qualifier on West Liberty wrestling teams of the early 1970s, Pecora became the youngest wrestling coach in the country when he was hired at Pitt-Johnstown in 1976 and immediately started stacking up an impressive list of accomplishments.
Pecora led the Mountain Cats to a pair of NCAA Division II national championships (1996, 1999) and 25 NCAA D2 Regional titles to go along with 24 national Top 10 finishes and 11 Top Five finishes. His 2024 squad finished 6th at the NCAA Division II Nationals in Park City, Kan. Four Mountain Cats earned NCAA D2 All-America honors and 149-pounder Jacob Ealy became UPJ's 15th individual national champion.
Pecora was a two-time president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) and served on the NWCA Board of Directors for years. A 4-time NWCA National Coach of the Year (1995, 1999, 2019, 2022), Pecora coached 170 All-Americans at UPJ and had 15 individual national champions who combined for 23 titles. His Mountain Cats also led the nation in NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team selections from 1997-2000.
Pecora was the 1999 recipient of the NWCA Coaching Excellence Award, presented to the best coach in all divisions. He won the 2023-24 NWCA Bob Bubb Excellence in Coaching Award and was also selected to coach the National Collegiate All-Star Team that showcased the nation's top wrestlers from all divisions.
Inducted into the West Liberty Hall of Fame in 1998, Pecora is also a member of eight other Halls of Fame, including the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame and the Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Coach Pecora was a legend in the sport and in his community," West Liberty head wrestling coach Danny Irwin said. "I had the utmost respect for him, both as a human and a competitor. I absolutely loved competing against him because of the passion he had for his student-athletes and the sport of wrestling. His legacy will live for lifetimes because of that passion and the values he helped instill in those around him."
Coach Pecora is survived by his wife, Tracy, their four grown children – Christina, Marina, Marco and Nico – and eight grandchildren.
