Gene Kobilansky, one of New York University’s most decorated wrestlers, has served as an assistant coach since the 2013-14 season. He works mainly with the team’s middleweights.
Inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame in May 2018, Kobilansky has helped the NYU wrestling team amass a 118-43 (.733) dual-meet record and capture six University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships during his years on the coaching staff.
In 2021-22, NYU won its 12th UAA Championship, earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors, finished third at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, won the Racich Rumble, and produced a 16-3 dual-meet record.
Individually, Cooper Pontelandolfo (165) earned All-America honors by finishing sixth at the NCAA Division III Championships. He was also named UAA Rookie of the Year. Trent Furman (157), Jason Geyer (184) and Matt Kelly (197) were also NCAA Qualifiers, while Tyler Crew (125), Kelly, Danny Lightfoot (141), Will Ortman (285), and Pontelandolfo all won UAA titles. Geyer was also victorious in the 174 bracket at the Racich Rumble, while Pontelandolfo finished first at the Ned McGinley Invitational.
The wrestling team did not compete in 2020-21 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, 16 team members earned UAA All-Academic honors.
In 2019-20, the team won the UAA Championship, finished third at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, placed second at the Citrus Invitational, won three matches at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Dual Meet Championships, posted a 12-7 record, and finished the campaign ranked a best-ever #11 in the nation by the NWCA. Four NYU wrestlers earned All-America honors: Evan Drill (149), Sean Lyons (157), Jack La Corte (197), and Izaake Zuckerman (174).
Individually, Lyons captured the NCAA Northeast Region 157-pound title and earned UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler and Wrestler of the Year honors. Seven wrestlers earned NCAA Northeast All-Region honors and six received UAA All-Association accolades.
In 2018-19, Drill finished fifth in the 141-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships. His outstanding campaign also included being named the UAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler and NYU’s Male Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year, finishing second at the NCAA Northeast Regionals and being selected NWCA All-Academic. Dylan Dwyer (157 pounds) also qualified for the NCAA’s as NYU finished 30th nationally. The team posted a 15-4 season record and produced fourth-place finishes at the New York State Collegiate Championships, the Citrus Invitational and the Ted Reese Invitational.
The 2017-18 campaign was another successful one for NYU as the team posted a 12-10 record and won the Ned McGinley Invitational at King’s College. The squad also excelled at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, finishing fourth and qualifying four wrestlers for the NCAA Championships, where NYU produced a 19th-place national finish.
Drill (fourth place - 149 pounds) and Raymond Jazikoff (fourth place - 157 pounds) earned All-America honors after qualifying for the NCAA Championships by winning their respective weight classes at the Northeast Regionals. Lyons (141) and Matt Noble (133) also qualified for nationals. That roster also featured five UAA All-Association honorees: Drill, Jazikoff, Jack Kligerman (184), La Corte (197), and Santino Pelusi (285). In addition, Jazikoff set team records for most wins in a season (48) and career (149).
In 2016-17, Nathan Pike became the program’s first-ever National Champion when he captured the 133-pound title at the NCAA Championships. He was joined by Blaise Benderoth (184 pounds - sixth place) as All-Americans, while both John Messinger (174) and Jacob Donato (125) also qualified for the NCAA Championships. NYU had a successful dual-meet season as well, finishing with an 18-4 record and its sixth-straight UAA Championship. Additionally, Kobilansky and the NYU staff were honored as the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.
Since returning to NYU as an assistant coach, Kobilansky has helped developed 15 All-Americans, including Pike and Brandon Jones, who each earned the prestigious honor three times. During Kobilansky’s tenure, the team has finished as high as 12th place (2015) at the NCAA Championships.
A 2007 NYU graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in finance, Kobilansky was a four-year member of the wrestling team. He compiled 118 career victories, the fourth-highest total in program history. Kobilansky recorded 64 wins at 141 pounds, the most ever by an NYU grappler in that weight class, while his 48 victories at 149 pounds is the third-highest total.
During his NYU career, Kobilansky earned UAA Rookie of the Year honors and then UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler accolades as a senior. He was a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American and UAA All-Academic honoree, an 11-time UAA Athlete of the Week selection and was the first three-time NCAA Championships qualifier in NYU program history.
A native of Kiev, Ukraine, Kobilansky was raised in Rochester, NY, and resides in Brooklyn, NY.
