John Messinger has completed two years as an assistant coach of the New York University wrestling team. He joined the staff prior to the 2017-18 season and continues to work with the upper weight classes as well as helping to run the team’s Study Hall.
In 2018-19, junior Evan Drill finished fifth in the 141-pound weight class at the NCAA Division III Championships. His outstanding campaign also included being named the UAA Championship Most Outstanding Wrestler and the NYU Male Junior Scholar Athlete of the Year, finishing in second-place at the NCAA Northeast Regionals and being selected National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic.
Junior 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.
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.
In Messinger’s first season on staff, 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.
The roster also featured five UAA All-Association honorees in ’17-‘18: Drill, Jazikoff, Jack Kligerman (184), Jack La Corte (197), and Santino Pelusi (285). In addition, Jazikoff set team records for most wins in a season (48) and career (149).
A 2017 NYU honors graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in neural science and a minor in chemistry, Messinger was a four-year member of the wrestling team. A two-time NCAA National Qualifier, he competed exclusively at 174 and 165 pounds. Messinger’s 66 wins at 174 is the most in team history, while his 49 victories at 165 is tied for third most.
Overall, Messinger’s 115 wins ranks fifth-highest in team annals.
Named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the UAA Championship as a junior, Messinger was a three-time All-UAA honoree. A two-time team captain, he was twice named UAA President’s Council Scholar Athlete and was a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American. Messinger also received NYU’s Alumni Association Student-Athlete of the Year Award at the conclusion of his senior campaign.
Messinger served as a wrestling coach at the Roosevelt Island Middle School for the non-profit organization Beat the Streets in 2015. Through this program, he helped provide mentorship and encouragement of the sport for students in underprivileged communities.
In addition to his duties at NYU, Messinger currently works as a research technician in the Adusumilli Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He also volunteers at NYU’s Glimcher Lab, a center for neural science research.
A native of Putnam Valley, NY, Messinger resides in Manhattan.
