A mentor to the New York University wrestling program’s talented lower and middle weight classes since the 2006-07 season, Corey Luce was promoted to Associate Head Coach in November 2022.
Beginning as Assistant Coach and then as Senior Assistant Coach, NYU has amassed a 243-108-1 (.692) record and captured 11 University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships during his tenure with then program. Since arriving at NYU, Luce has helped developed 24 All-Americans, including recruits Nathan Pike and Brandon Jones, who each earned the prestigious honor three times.
In 2024-25, NYU’s wrestlers won three team titles, finishing first at the UAA Championship, the Ned McGinley Invitational and the Racich Rumble. The squad posted a 14-6 dual-meet record and finished 29th at the NCAA Division III Championships, while NYU earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Cooper Pontelandolfo become the first wrestler in program history to earn four All-America honors, completing his outstanding career as National Runner-up at 157 pounds. Arguably the most decorated wrestler in team history, Pontelandolfo ended his career by winning the NCAA Region III Championship, both the Ned McGinley and Racich Rumble titles, was named UAA Wrestler of the Year, a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American, and earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors.
Jacob Venezia, the 133-pound champion at Ned McGinley, also qualified for the NCAA’s and earned NWCA Scholar All-American distinction.
Overall, seven wrestlers won UAA Championships, nine were NWCA Scholar All-Americans and 19 achieved UAA All-Academic honors in ’24-25. Tyler Kadish earned UAA Rookie of the Year honors, while Trent Furman concluded his career with the most falls (60) in program history.
In 2023-24, NYU achieved its best-ever team finish at the NCAA Championships (11th) and won the UAA title. Pontelandolfo (157) and Jason Geyer (174) were both All-Americans as Pontelandolfo finished third for his third All-America honor in as many seasons while Geyer placed fourth. Furman also qualified for the NCAA’s at 184 pounds.
At the UAA Championship, Pontelandolfo (157) was named Most Outstanding Wrestler as he, Benny Bautista (125), Venezia (133), Anthony Chavez (149), Geyer (174), Furman (184), and Evan Anderson (285) won Association titles. The Violets also posted their 12th-straight winning season with a 10-3 record in dual matches, and added team titles at both the Racich Rumble and Ned McGinley Invitational
In 2022-23, the Violets produced their 11th-straight winning season, going 12-4 in dual meets. Pontelandolfo (165) earned All-America honors as he placed sixth at the NCAA Division III Championships for the second year in a row and led NYU to a 36th-place national finish. He was also the UAA Wrestler of the Year and the Ned McGinley Invitational 165-pound champion. In addition, Anderson became NYU’s first-ever heavyweight qualifier at the NCAA’s and was selected UAA Rookie of the Year.
Several other team members received All-UAA distinction: Nick Bell (184), Tyler Crew (133), Scott DuPont (184), Geyer (174), Husan Khan (157), and Nick Kruczynski (141).
In 2021-22, Pontelandolfo (165) earned All-America honors and was named UAA Rookie of the Year. NYU won the 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, Furman (157), Geyer (184) and Matt Kelly (197) were also NCAA Qualifiers, while 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, NYU won the UAA Championship, finished third at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, 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.
For his efforts during the ’19-20 season, Luce was named NCAA Northeast Region Championships Assistant Coach of the Year, while NYU also earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Overall, NYU has earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors 10 times during Luce’s tenure.
In 2018-19, Luce helped produce an All-American wrestler as Drill finished fifth in the 141-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships. Drill was also named the UAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler, the NYU Male Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year, finished second at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, and was 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 Luce and the wrestlers, 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) both 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.
The ’17-18 roster 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).
Luce was recognized for his contributions that season and was named the NWCA Northeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
In 2016-17, Luce was also in the corner as 133-pounder Pike became the program’s first-ever National Champion. Pike was joined by Blaise Benderoth (184 pounds - sixth place) as All-Americans, while both John Messinger (174) and Jacob Donato (125) were also NCAA qualifiers. NYU had a successful dual-meet season as well, finishing with an 18-4 record and winning its sixth-straight UAA Championship. Additionally, NYU earned UAA Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Luce helped lead the NYU grapplers to a 14-6 dual record in 2015-16 as Pike became the first wrestler in program history to advance to the NCAA National Championship match. In addition, William Gockel-Figge (184), Jazikoff (157) and Messenger (174) also qualified for the NCAA Championships as NYU finished 17th nationally.
In 2014-15, Luce helped lead the grapplers to a team-record 21 wins (21-3), including a perfect 8-0 mark in the Centennial Conference as Luce was recognized as NCAA East Region Assistant Coach of the Year. Luce was also selected Assistant Coach of the Year by the Metropolitan Conference in 2012, helping to guide Gregg Martino (141) to the NCAA Championships.
Luce was also selected Metropolitan Conference Assistant Coach of the Year following the 2008-09 season.
Luce, who currently serves on the NWCA Ranking Committee as a representative for Region 3, was the first assistant coach ever to be selected to that prestigious committee. He also serves as a member of the NCAA National Seeding Committee.
Luce joined the NYU staff after five seasons as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator of the Hunter College wrestling program. During his tenure with the Hawks, Luce helped produce four national qualifiers and two All-Americans, as well as the program’s first-ever New York State Champion.
A 2000 graduate of Wilkes University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in elementary education and psychology, Luce wrestled for the Colonels for two seasons following his transfer from Lock Haven University. Wrestling in the 118- and 125-pound weight classes, he was a member of Lock Haven’s squad that finished fifth in the nation at the NCAA Division I Championships during his sophomore season.
Luce, who earned a Master of Science degree in physical education from Queens College in 2006, is a native of Wilkes-Barre, PA. He resides in Manhattan with his wife Sandra and their sons Giovanni and Dominic.
