Alma Mater: Lehman College '90
Seasons as Head Coach: 31 (including 2025-26)
Career Record: 359-212-3 (.628)
NCAA All-Americans: 26
NCAA Champions: 1 (Nathan Pike 2017)
UAA Championships: 13 (1999, 2000, 2006, 2008, 2012-17, 2020, 2022, 2024)
Best NCAA Championship Finish: 11th (2024)
Best Final-Season National Ranking: 11th (2020, 2024)
Coach of the Year Honors: UAA (15: 1997, 1999, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012-17, 2020, 2022, 2025); NCAA East Region (1, 2015); Metropolitan Conference (1, 2008); beatthestreets.com (1, 2008)
Serving as head coach of the New York University wrestling team since 1995-96, Bruce Haberli has compiled a 359-212-3 (.628) career record over his tenure. He has guided NYU to 14 University Athletic Association (UAA) titles, has coached 27 All-Americans and has produced at least one All-American in each of the last 12 seasons.
For all his contributions to NYU and to the sport of wrestling, Haberli was inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Hall of Fame in March 2018.
In 2024-25, Haberli’s Violets won three team titles, finishing first at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship, the Ned McGinley Invitational and the Racich Rumble. The squad posted a 14-6 dual-meet record and finished 29
th at the NCAA Division III Championships while Haberli and his assistants were named UAA Coaching Staff of the Year.
Under Haberli’s guidance, 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 NWCA Scholar All-American, and earned College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic At-Large All-District honors and Second Team Academic All-America 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 (11
th) and regained its 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 12
th-straight winning season with a 10-3 record in dual matches, and added team titles at both the Racich Rumble and Ned McGinley Invitational
Haberli’s wrestlers also performed well off the mat as they were named a NWCA Scholar All-America Team, 12 garnered Scholar All-America accolades and 14 were tabbed as UAA All-Academic recipients.
In 2022-23, NYU went 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 36
th-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 in ’22-23: Nick Bell (184), Tyler Crew (133), Scott DuPont (184), Geyer (174), Hassan Khan (157), and Nick Kruczynski (141).
Haberli’s squad also excelled off the mat, receiving NWCA Scholar All-America Team accolades. Individually, 10 wrestlers received UAA All-Academic honors and six earned NWCA Scholar All-American honors while Pontelandolfo was selected CSC Academic All-District.
In 2021-22, Pontelandolfo (165) earned his first All-America honor and was named UAA Rookie of the Year. NYU won another 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.
Success was not confined to the mat in ’21-22, as 11 team members earned UAA All-Academic honors.
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, a record four team members earned All-America honors: Evan Drill (149), Sean Lyons (157), Jack La Corte (197), and Izaake Zuckerman (174) (the 2020 NCAA Division III Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic; All-America Teams were determined by “each wrestler’s overall body of work through the regional tournaments and up to the national championships”).
The ’19-20 team won its 11
th UAA Championship, finished third at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships, placed second at the Citrus Invitational, won three matches and placed eighth at the NWCA National Dual Meet Championships, posted an overall 12-7 record, and finished the campaign ranked #11 in the nation by the NWCA.
Individually, Lyons captured the NCAA Northeast Region 157-pound title and was named Most Outstanding Wrestler. He also earned UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler and Wrestler of the Year honors, while seven team members earned NCAA Northeast All-Region honors and six received UAA All-Association accolades.
The squad’s dominance continued off the mat as NYU earned NWCA Scholar All-America Team honors, five wrestlers received NWCA Scholar All-America accolades and nine were UAA All-Academic honorees.
In 2018-19, Haberli produced an All-American wrestler as Drill finished fifth in the 141-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships. He was also named UAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler and the NYU Male Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year. Dylan Dwyer (157 pounds) also qualified for the NCAA’s as NYU finished 30
th 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.
Team members also made their marks academically as seven wrestlers earned UAA All-Academic honors and NYU was cited as a NWCA All-Academic Team.
Haberli’s 2017-18 squad posted a 12-10 record and won the Ned McGinley Invitational at King’s College. The team finished fourth at the NCAA Northeast Regional Championships and qualified four wrestlers for the NCAA Championships as NYU produced a 19
th-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, while the 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). NYU again earned NWCA All-Academic Team honors, five wrestlers were selected NWCA All-Academic and nine were named UAA All-Academic.
The 2016-17 campaign was an historic one for Haberli and NYU wrestling as Nathan Pike became the first grappler in program history to win a national title. The 133-pounder was joined by Blaise Benderoth (184 pounds - sixth place) as All-Americans, while John Messinger (174) and Jacob Donato (125) also qualified for the NCAA Championships. NYU finished with an 18-4 record and a sixth-straight UAA title while Haberli and his assistants were honored as the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. The team earned NWCA academic honors after finishing the season with the sixth-highest GPA among Division III teams, while six wrestlers also earned the distinction of NWCA Scholar All-American.
Numerous wrestlers have flourished during Haberli’s tenure. Brandon Jones (2012-15) was the program’s first three-time All-American, finishing as high as third place. A two-time NCAA Championships qualifier, Michael Oldham (1997-2001) set then-team records for the most wins in a season (41) and career (141), won a Metropolitan Championship (157 in 2000), and was a two-time New York State Collegiate Championship finalist. Tyras Bookman earned back-to-back All-America honors in 1999 and 2000. Jason Snow (174) was an All-American in 2002, placing fourth at the NCAA Championships. He also became NYU’s first-ever four-time UAA Champion.
Bookman in 2009, Oldham in 2010 and Snow in 2013 have all been inducted into the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame, as was assistant coach Gene Kobilansky in 2018.
Prior to joining the NYU staff in 1995, Haberli served as Head Coach at Manhattan College, where he was also the school’s Director of Recreation and Intramurals. Haberli was named Metropolitan Coach of the Year in 1995 and New England University Wrestling Association Coach of the Year in 1992, 1993 and 1995. Under his direction, Manhattan produced its first-ever Metropolitan Champion and its first finalist in the New York State Collegiate Championships. Two team members qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships during Haberli’s tenure.
A former captain of the Hunter College wrestling team, Haberli was a NCAA Championships qualifier who compiled a 67-20 career record. He went on to attend Lehman College, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in therapeutic recreation and physical education.
Haberli made the transition from wrestler to coach when he became an assistant at C.W. Post in 1985-86. He coached there for one year before taking the helm at Manhattan prior to the 1986-87 season. Haberli also coached the New York City region team in the Empire State Games from 1990-93.
Haberli has served as a member of the New York Athletic Club’s Wrestling Committee and was President of the New England University Wrestling Association from 1991-95. He now serves as Treasurer for the New York State Coaches' Association.
A native of River Vale, NJ, Haberli resides in Montvale, NJ, with his wife Michele and their sons Trevor and Roman, who both attended NYU.
HABELI'S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD
NYU
| Year |
Overall |
| 1995-96 |
4-9 |
| 1996-97 |
4-11 |
| 1997-98 |
8-11 |
| 1998-99 |
12-7 |
| 1999-2000 |
19-6 |
| 2000-01 |
14-11 |
| 2001-02 |
13-17 |
| 2002-03 |
10-12 |
| 2003-04 |
5-13 |
| 2004-05 |
11-7 |
| 2005-06 |
16-2-2 |
| 2006-07 |
15-9-1 |
| 2007-08 |
16-1 |
| 2008-09 |
10-7 |
| 2009-10 |
12-10 |
| 2010-11 |
9-10 |
| 2011-12 |
12-9 |
| 2012-13 |
15-1 |
| 2013-14 |
10-9 |
| 2014-15 |
21-3 |
| 2015-16 |
14-3 |
| 2016-17 |
18-4 |
| 2017-18 |
12-10 |
| 2018-19 |
15-4 |
| 2019-20 |
12-7 |
| 2020-21* |
----- |
| 2021-22 |
16-3 |
| 2022-23 |
12-4 |
| 2023-24 |
10-3 |
| 2024-25 |
14-6 |
| TOTALS |
359-212-3 (.628) |
* Season canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Haberli’s All-Americans
| Name |
Weight |
Year & Finish |
| Blaise Benderoth |
184 lbs. |
2017 (6th) |
| Tyras Bookman |
184 lbs. |
2000 (7th), 1999 (7th) |
| Nick Coleman |
184 lbs. |
2007 (6th) |
| Evan Drill |
149 lbs. |
2020 (First Team)**, 2018 (4th) |
|
141 lbs. |
2019 (5th) |
| Jason Geyer |
174 lbs. |
2024 (4th) |
| Takafumi Hashimoto |
157 lbs. |
2008 (5th) |
| Stephen Hult |
141 lbs. |
2008 (3rd) |
| Raymond Jazikoff |
157 lbs. |
2018 (4th) |
| Brandon Jones |
141 lbs. |
2015 (4th), 2014 (3rd) |
|
133 lbs. |
2013 (5th) |
| Jack La Corte |
197 lbs. |
2020 (Second Team)** |
| Sean Lyons |
157 lbs. |
2020 (First Team)** |
| Matt Magill |
157 lbs. |
2010 (8th) |
| Nathan Pike |
133 lbs. |
2017 (National Champion), 2016 (2nd), 2015 (6th) |
| Cooper Pontelandolfo |
157 lbs. |
2025 (2nd), 2024 (3rd) |
|
165 lbs. |
2023 (6th), 2022 (6th) |
| Patrick Sheehan |
184 lbs. |
2015 (7th) |
| Jason Snow |
174 lbs. |
2002 (4th) |
| Izaake Zuckerman |
174 lbs. |
2020 (Third Team)** |
* The 2020 NCAA Division III Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic; All-America Teams were determined by “each wrestler’s overall body of work through the regional tournaments and up to the national championships.”
