Ron Gross returns for his second season in his second stint as a wrestling coach at RIT for the 2011-12 season, as the associate head coach. Gross originally arrived at RIT as the associate head coach under the legendary Earl Fuller before the start of the 1993-94 season. Upon Fuller’s retirement, Gross assumed the head coaching duties in 1994-95, and spent four seasons at the helm of the Tigers, compiling an 18-21-1 record in dual meets.
“Ron has a wealth of wrestling knowledge and we are thrilled to have him join our staff to help build a nationally recognized team,” said RIT Head Coach Scott Stever.
Gross helped lead the Tigers to two of its top three finishes at the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by an eighth place finish during the 1997-98 season. Before the 1996-97 season, Gross was able to lure Matt Hamill to RIT after a year at Division I Purdue. In three seasons at RIT, Hamill recorded a 99-3 record, and three NCAA Championships at three different weight classes.
Under Gross’ tutelage, four different Tigers earned All-American honors on the mat, while five more were named Scholar All-Americans.
Gross began his coaching career at Wesleyan University in 1990, spending two seasons with the Cardinals, compiling a 13-14-1 mark. He was the New England Wrestling Rookie Coach of the Year in 1991. Seven of his grapplers earned All-New England Honors.
A graduate of Wayne Central School and Ithaca College, Gross established himself as an outstanding grappler. At Wayne Central, he was a four-time Section V Class B Champion and 1986 New York State runner-up.
At Ithaca, Gross earned two All-American titles, helping guide the Bombers to back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1989 and 1990. The team captain was the NCAA runner-up in 1989 and placed fifth in 1990. The four-time All-New York State wrestler posted 113 career wins. He received his bachelor’s degree in social studies at Ithaca and was inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.
Gross, who earned a master’s degree in education from Roberts Wesleyan, is an original native of Ontario, N.Y. lives in Pittsford with his wife Lisa, sons Tyler, and Trevor, and daughter, Carly. He is a social studies teacher at Brighton High School.
