Santoro and the Terps Featured On thewrestlingmall.com
2/26/2007 7:00:00 AM | Wrestling
Feb. 26, 2007
Andrew Berglund of The Wrestling Mall recently spoke with Maryland wrestling head coach Pat Santoro and redshirt freshman Hudson Taylor on the success of the Terrapins in the 2006-07 campaign. The Terps, which are 17-5 and 5-0 in the ACC, will vie for its first conference title since 1973 this Saturday at the 2007 ACC Championship in Raleigh, N.C. The entire story can be read here.
Santoro, currently in his fourth year at the helm of the Terrapin program, has led the Terps to its first perfect conference record and regular season dual championship since 1974. He has guided two wrestlers to ACC titles as junior Andrew Schlaffer won the 149 pound championship last year and senior Charlie Pinto captured the 141 pound title in 2005.
Taylor, currently ranked No. 15 in the country at 197 pounds, went 24-7 in the regular season with an 18-3 mark in duals. He went a perfect 5-0 in ACC duals with three of his team-best 12 falls coming in conference action. Taylor was tabbed the ACC Wrestler of the Week on February 19.
Below are excerpts from Berglund's story. The entire article can be read on thewrestlingmall.com.
The immediate success for Maryland wrestling is right around the corner. But with a strong regional recruiting base and an up-start coach, the future in College Park is very promising.
"I don't put a number on things," Santoro said. "I'd love to be top 20, love to be working toward the top 10 and build from there, but right now we've just got to keep developing our kids."
"(Maryland) is a great academic school and I don't think people realize what a great academic school it is," Santoro said. "I think people are a lot of the times surprised when they can't get in. The campus is amazing, and as you know, Maryland athletics are top-notch. I think last year they won four national championships in different sports. I think when they come here, they feel that it's a family environment."
"Our logo is 27 sports, 1 team. I think the kids get that feel when they come here - that wrestling is important; it's not just about the major sports. All the sports are important here."
For all of the information pertaining to the 2007 ACC Championship, click here.
