Burlingame steps down at Manchester

Manchester Head Wrestling Coach Job Posting

Burlingame steps down from head wrestling post

Aug 21, 2015
Manchester University Director of Athletics Rick Espeset announced this week that head wrestling coach Matt Burlingame has stepped down.

Burlingame led the Spartans’ program for the past nine seasons after serving as an assistant to long-time head coach and athletic director Tom Jarman. While at MU, he was on the staff which led the program to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional Championships in 2006-07. Additionally, two of the wrestlers he mentored as a head coach qualified for the NCAA Division III national championships with one becoming the program’s 22nd All-American.

Burlingame recently accepted a position as a head wrestling coach and biology teacher at Whitko High School.

“This was an extremely tough decision,” Burlingame said. “My family and I have always thought of Manchester University as home. I’ll miss the daily interaction with faculty and staff as well as being able to work with the many wonderful young men who came through the Spartans’ wrestling program during my time.”

“We’ll miss Matt’s strong leadership and positive personality on and off the mat,” Espeset said. “He did a first-class job mentoring so many student-athletes to become well-rounded individuals which is something that is very important to the university. We wish him all the best as he and his family move on to a new path.”