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JTHS Alum Vallimont Named Assistant Wrestling Coach at Hofstra

Former Falcons star and Penn State standout excited to help Pride program reach new heights.

A little over a year after completing a decorated collegiate wrestling career at Penn State, Lake Hopatcong native Dan Vallimont is going back to school. This time, however, he’s not the student but the teacher.

Next week Vallimont begins his first week on the job as an assistant wrestling coach at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY.

“I love the coaching staff and I love what they're trying to do with the program,” Vallimont said. “I think it's a really good fit. It's an up-and-coming program and I think it's going to be fun to be a part of it.”

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Vallimont’s hire was officially announced on May 27 by first-year Pride head wrestling coach Rob Anspach.

"I am quite pleased to add Dan to our Pride coaching staff," Anspach said in a press release issued by the school. "As an outstanding student, one of the top wrestlers in the Big Ten and a recent two-time All-American, he brings to our program the talent and experience necessary to help bring us to the next level, both on and off the mat."

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Anspach’s coaching staff also includes Short Hills, NJ native Zach Tanelli.

According to Anspach, a number of factors went into Vallimont’s appointment, the most obvious being his stellar wrestling pedigree.

Vallimont was a two-time All-American and a four-time NCAA qualifier during his collegiate career (2005-2010) at Penn State. He amassed a career record of 110-36. Vallimont was also team captain for his junior and senior seasons (2008-09, 2009-10). He placed second at the 2010 NCAA Division I Championships at 165 pounds and finished the year with a 30-9 mark. As a sophomore, he finished third at the 2008 NCAA Championships at 157 pounds and posted a 32-3 record. Vallimont was also a three-time top three finisher at the Big Ten Championships, placing second in 2008 and third in 2009 and 2010.

As a red-shirt freshman in 2006-07, he placed fourth in the Big Ten Championships and tallied a 22-12 record. Vallimont advanced to the NCAA Championships as the 12th-seed at 157 pounds and came within one win of All-America accolades. As a junior, he placed third in the Big Ten, advanced to the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds and, again, came one victory shy of All-America status, finishing with a 26-12 slate on the season.

Vallimont’s vast college wrestling credits came after a stellar high school career where he posted a career record of 134-9 for Jefferson Township High, including a perfect 78-0 mark through his junior and senior years en route to winning consecutive New Jersey state titles.

Anspach, however, wasn’t just impressed by Vallimont’s win-loss record. He also sees great value in his intelligence, his attention to detail, and his hard-working attitude.

Those attributes made Vallimont both a great athlete and a great student at Penn State. In addition to his successes on the mat, Vallimont also managed to excel in the classroom and earned his degree in architectural engineering in May of 2010.

Vallimont had all the qualities Anspach was looking for in a new assistant. But so did a number of other candidates he spoke to. After careful consideration, Anspach brought three prospective hires to campus for a personal visit, one of which was Vallimont.

So what made Vallimont stand out?  

“At the end it was his personality,” Anspach said. “The way we got along. It just seemed to click.”

Vallimont didn’t just leave and hope for the best, however. He did the work, the follow-up work. Anspach noticed that as well.

“Follow up is 90 percent of everything in our sport,“ Anspach explained. “He sent text messages, gave ideas. You knew he wanted the job and that he’s going to do those type of things with recruits as well.”

Vallimont’s new job with the Pride will have two main responsibilities, according to Anspach. One will working with the middleweights, something Vallimont is very familiar with since he wrestled as a middleweight at Penn State.

“I’ve watched him wrestle for a couple years,” Anspach said. “He’s a worker, and he can instill that in our guys. He can show them if you’re willing to work hard these are the type of things you can accomplish. That’s how he won.”

As far as inspiration, Vallimont said he’ll draw from the teachings he learned under his previous coaches at Penn State, which include former assistant John Hughes, former head coach Troy Sunderland and current head coach and Olympic Gold medalist Cael Sanderson.  

“I’ll definitely pool things from other coaches, especially my former mentors at Penn State,” Vallimont said. “I’ve also kind of developed my own theory of what will work as well. The main thing I have to remember is that not everybody is me. You have to find what works for each individual.

“Hopefully I’ll get in there and inspire some of the young guys and push them to get better.”

Vallimont’s other area of focus will be to spearhead the Pride’s recruiting efforts in the New Jersey and tri-state areas.  

Anspach believes that Vallimont will learn fast and do well on the recruiting trail as well.

His efforts both in the gym and in the field will be a key factor in not only continuing the strong wrestling tradition at Hofstra, but to building it up to even greater prominence.  

Last season the Pride (14-4-1) claimed its 10th conference championship in the past 11 seasons. The team also boasted four Colonial Athletic Association champions and sent seven wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Therefore, expectations are and will continue to be high for the Hofstra program.

Before landing the job at Hofstra, Vallimont got the opportunity to work with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Yves Edwards. Vallimont helped Edwards as a wrestling coach in preparation for his two bouts to date in 2011. Edwards started the year with a win in January but most recently suffered a first-round knockout loss to Sam Stout at UFC 131 in Vancouver on June 11.

And while his new responsibilities at Hofstra will likely occupy a lot of his focus and energy, Vallimont said that the coaching staff is open to him continuing to assist Edwards when time allows and doesn’t interfere with his duties at Hofstra.

Next month Vallimont is also scheduled to be one of the camp instructors at the Jefferson Wrestling Camp. The camp, which will take place the week of July 18-22 (Monday – Friday), is open to any child or young adult from third grade through 12th grade.

Those interested in learning more about the camp can download a flyer at: http://www.jefftwp.org/athletics/PDF%20Files/WRESTLING%20CAMP%20FLYER.pdf 

Fun fact 1: Vallimont and Tanelli – from enemies to friends

In 2004 they were on opposite sides of the mat, opponents who didn’t like each other very much. Next week they’ll be assistant coaches on the same college team. Oh, and they’re going to be roommates as well, sharing a house across the street from the beach.   

Fun fact 2: Vallimont’s Facebook Stalker

Vallimont got the gig as the wrestling coach for UFC fighter Yves Edwards after getting a Facebook message from Edwards’ best friend and agent. These days Vallimont considers both close friends.

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