Matt Azevedo Named Volunteer Assistant Coach for Cornell Wrestling
9/22/2009 3:01:10 PM
ITHACA, N.Y.--Three-time NCAA qualifier Matt Azevedo joins the Cornell Wrestling staff for his first season as a volunteer assistant coach, after spending the last seven campaigns as an assistant coach for Cal Poly.
Azevedo opened his collegiate career competing for two years for Arizona State, where he advanced to the NCAA tournament. For his final two seasons, Azevedo wrestled for Iowa State and qualified for the NCAAs each campaign.
“We are very excited to add Matt to our coaching staff,” Rob Koll the David R. Dunlop ’59 Head Coach of Wrestling said. “He will bring a wealth of knowledge to our entire team, and Matt adds a great deal of experience from both national and international levels.”
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education from Iowa State in 2002, Azevedo continued his wrestling career and went on to be a seven-time US National place winner. He won the 2008 U.S. Open National Championship, where he beat out eventual Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo and was selected Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. The Las Vegas native took second at the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials in the summer of 2007. He finished second at the U.S. Freestyle Nationals in 2005 and 2006, and Azevedo also placed third at the World Team Trials in 2006.
Azevedo and his wife Brooke reside in Ithaca. He is the nephew of Cal Poly head coach John Azevedo.