CRESSON, Pa. - Mount Aloysius College has named veteran wrestling coach Dave Marko head coach of its new men's and women's wrestling programs, marking another significant expansion of athletic opportunities at the institution.

Marko, a District 6 Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee with more than 350 career dual-meet victories, will begin his role Tuesday, November 10, and immediately begin recruiting student-athletes for the programs' inaugural Fall 2027 season.

"We are thrilled to welcome Dave to Mount Aloysius and begin building our men's and women's wrestling programs," said Kevin Kime, vice president for athletics and community engagement. "Dave brings tremendous experience, a proven record of developing student-athletes, and a deep understanding of wrestling in our region. We are confident he will help establish a strong foundation for these programs as we begin recruiting for Fall 2027, and make plans to invest in a state of the art wrestling facility."

Marko brings decades of coaching experience and a distinguished record of success at the high school level. A three-year starter at Connellsville High School, he qualified for the Pennsylvania state wrestling tournament as a senior, before continuing his wrestling career at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown under legendary coach Pat Pecora.

Marko began his coaching career at Claysburg-Kimmel High School, where he spent 18 years compiling a 234-64 record and coaching three state champions. His teams captured three Southwest Regional titles and multiple District 6 championships. Marko later joined Central High School, where he continued building a successful wrestling program. In 2019, he was inducted into the District 6 Wrestling Hall of Fame. He reached the 300-win milestone during the 2018-19 season and subsequently surpassed 350 career dual-meet victories. Throughout his career, Marko has emphasized the holistic development of student-athletes, focusing on academics, family, character, and personal growth. Marko is the all-time winningest wrestling coach in Blair County history.

Additional announcements regarding the programs are slated for December 18 at the Penn Cambria Panther Holiday Classic on the Mount Aloysius campus. To learn more about wrestling at the Mount, visit mountieathletics.com.