Roger S. Penske/Lehigh Athletics Hall of Fame
Strobel*, Greg
Greg Strobel*
- Induction:
- 2022
Hired in 1995, Greg Strobel oversaw the revival of the Lehigh wrestling program. Greg Strobel needed just five years to return Lehigh to the national stage. In 13 seasons as head coach, he led the Brown and White to six EIWA championships and captured a pair of team trophies at the NCAA Championship
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Strobel retired from coaching after 13 seasons and transitioned into an administrative leadership position within the athletics department.
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The native Oregonian was regarded throughout the wrestling community as one of the sport’s top ambassadors and reached the pinnacle of success at all levels of his career within the sport of wrestling.
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Strobel served as the Lawrence White ’64 Head Coach of Wrestling. In 13 seasons, Strobel posted a 189-83-1 dual meet record, trailing only the legendary Billy Sheridan on Lehigh wrestling’s coaching wins list.
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Under his watch, Strobel's wrestlers captured 28 individual EIWA championships and 30 All-American honors. He coached two NCAA champions: Rob Rohn in 2002 and Troy Letters in 2004.
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Lehigh’s renaissance began in Strobel’s second season with a pair of All-Americans in John Van Doren and Bill Closson. Two years later, Lehigh had three All-Americans, and in 1999-2000, the Mountain Hawks won their first of six EIWA titles under Strobel and returned to the top 10 nationally with a seventh-place NCAA finish.
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In 2002, Lehigh won its first of five consecutive EIWA championships, a stretch that coincided with five straight NCAA Top 10 finishes. That same year, Strobel mentored his first NCAA champion, with Rob Rohn, down by 10-points, capturing the 184-pound title with a stunning third-period comeback and fall.
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The next two seasons brought two more EIWA team titles and a pair of team trophies at the NCAA Championships. The Mountain Hawks finished fourth in Kansas City in 2003 and then the following year crowned five All-Americans to tie for third place in St. Louis, as Troy Letters became Strobel’s second NCAA champion with his triumph at 165. Lehigh also established a school record for team points scored at the NCAA Championships with 77.5.
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In the college ranks, Strobel was recognized as the EIWA Coach of the Year four times and was the NWCA National Coach of the Year in 2004 following Lehigh’s third-place finish.
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Strobel arrived at Lehigh with an impressive resume. Strobel wrestled at Oregon State University from 1971-74, where he was a three-time All-American at 190 lbs. and won two NCAA titles in 1973 and 1974; finishing his college career with a 126-8-1 record. Strobel won 74 consecutive matches, still an OSU record. Strobel’s 124 victories rank among Oregon State’s all-time top 10; and was awarded the honor of Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1973 NCAA tournament.  Later in his career he also served as a member of the NCAA Rules Committee.
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He began his college coaching career at his alma mater in the early 1980s before moving on to USA Wrestling, where he served as Director of National Team Programs from 1983 – 1991, including two years as National Teams Freestyle Coach fin 1987 and 1988.
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Prior to coming to Lehigh, Strobel was the head coach for Team Foxcatcher, an Olympic-level club in Newtown Square, Pa, where he produced numerous U.S. World Team members and national champions on the Senior level
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Through his many years of successful involvement with USA Wrestling, Strobel coached the Pennsylvania Junior Team for four years (1997-98, 2001-02), served as head coach of the 1997 U.S. Junior World Team, and has given or assisted in countless clinics. He served as Team Leader for the 1998 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team. He also served as the head coach of the 1994 U.S. Goodwill Games and co-head coach of the 1997 U.S. World Cup Team. He was named the 1996 United States Olympic assistant freestyle wrestling coach and Pan American head coach. He coached the 1999 U.S. Freestyle World Team and served as assistant coach of the 1999 Pan-Am team which finished in first place. In addition, he was named Head Freestyle Coach for the Sydney Olympics in 2000; and that same year he coached the 2000 United States World Cup team to a championship.
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Strobel was named the 1999 United States Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year, the USOC’s National Coach of the Year in 1998, the National Freestyle Coach of the Year in 1997, and Man of the Year by USA Wrestling in 2009. He also served as First Vice President of USA Wrestling, was a member of the Executive Committee, and was a member of the USA Wrestling Board of Directors for nearly 30 years. He was a chairperson for the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Sports Committee, Sports Science Committee, Freestyle Coach Selection Committee, and the Women’s Sports Committee. He also served for over a decade as the chairperson of the ad-hoc Title IX Committee and served on many other USA Wrestling Committees in the past.
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After retiring from coaching in 2008, Strobel transitioned into an administrative leadership position as Assistant Athletic Director at Lehigh in which he served multiple roles. He led Lehigh Athletics' camps and clinics efforts until his retirement following the 2018-19 academic year. Strobel remained active in the sport of wrestling, assisting the NCAA Rules Committee and serving as the Executive Director of the EIWA.
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Strobel was inducted into the Oregon State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2012, and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. And, in 2009, a book about his life was published called ‘STROBEL: Stories from a Life with Wrestling’; written by Jamie Moffatt.
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A 1975 graduate of Oregon State, Strobel received his bachelor's degree and master's in business education. Strobel, who was also a three-time Pacific 8 Conference champion, earned an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholar-Athlete Award in 1975.
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Greg Strobel was an outstanding athlete, coach, mentor, and ambassador to the sport of wrestling.Â
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Strobel passed away in October 2020 at the age of 68. He and his late wife Donna are survived by two daughters, Jennifer and Christine, sons-in-law Rob and Joe, and four grandchildren.
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Strobel retired from coaching after 13 seasons and transitioned into an administrative leadership position within the athletics department.
Â
The native Oregonian was regarded throughout the wrestling community as one of the sport’s top ambassadors and reached the pinnacle of success at all levels of his career within the sport of wrestling.
Â
Strobel served as the Lawrence White ’64 Head Coach of Wrestling. In 13 seasons, Strobel posted a 189-83-1 dual meet record, trailing only the legendary Billy Sheridan on Lehigh wrestling’s coaching wins list.
Â
Under his watch, Strobel's wrestlers captured 28 individual EIWA championships and 30 All-American honors. He coached two NCAA champions: Rob Rohn in 2002 and Troy Letters in 2004.
Â
Lehigh’s renaissance began in Strobel’s second season with a pair of All-Americans in John Van Doren and Bill Closson. Two years later, Lehigh had three All-Americans, and in 1999-2000, the Mountain Hawks won their first of six EIWA titles under Strobel and returned to the top 10 nationally with a seventh-place NCAA finish.
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In 2002, Lehigh won its first of five consecutive EIWA championships, a stretch that coincided with five straight NCAA Top 10 finishes. That same year, Strobel mentored his first NCAA champion, with Rob Rohn, down by 10-points, capturing the 184-pound title with a stunning third-period comeback and fall.
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The next two seasons brought two more EIWA team titles and a pair of team trophies at the NCAA Championships. The Mountain Hawks finished fourth in Kansas City in 2003 and then the following year crowned five All-Americans to tie for third place in St. Louis, as Troy Letters became Strobel’s second NCAA champion with his triumph at 165. Lehigh also established a school record for team points scored at the NCAA Championships with 77.5.
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In the college ranks, Strobel was recognized as the EIWA Coach of the Year four times and was the NWCA National Coach of the Year in 2004 following Lehigh’s third-place finish.
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Strobel arrived at Lehigh with an impressive resume. Strobel wrestled at Oregon State University from 1971-74, where he was a three-time All-American at 190 lbs. and won two NCAA titles in 1973 and 1974; finishing his college career with a 126-8-1 record. Strobel won 74 consecutive matches, still an OSU record. Strobel’s 124 victories rank among Oregon State’s all-time top 10; and was awarded the honor of Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1973 NCAA tournament.  Later in his career he also served as a member of the NCAA Rules Committee.
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He began his college coaching career at his alma mater in the early 1980s before moving on to USA Wrestling, where he served as Director of National Team Programs from 1983 – 1991, including two years as National Teams Freestyle Coach fin 1987 and 1988.
Â
Prior to coming to Lehigh, Strobel was the head coach for Team Foxcatcher, an Olympic-level club in Newtown Square, Pa, where he produced numerous U.S. World Team members and national champions on the Senior level
Â
Through his many years of successful involvement with USA Wrestling, Strobel coached the Pennsylvania Junior Team for four years (1997-98, 2001-02), served as head coach of the 1997 U.S. Junior World Team, and has given or assisted in countless clinics. He served as Team Leader for the 1998 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team. He also served as the head coach of the 1994 U.S. Goodwill Games and co-head coach of the 1997 U.S. World Cup Team. He was named the 1996 United States Olympic assistant freestyle wrestling coach and Pan American head coach. He coached the 1999 U.S. Freestyle World Team and served as assistant coach of the 1999 Pan-Am team which finished in first place. In addition, he was named Head Freestyle Coach for the Sydney Olympics in 2000; and that same year he coached the 2000 United States World Cup team to a championship.
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Strobel was named the 1999 United States Olympic Committee Developmental Coach of the Year, the USOC’s National Coach of the Year in 1998, the National Freestyle Coach of the Year in 1997, and Man of the Year by USA Wrestling in 2009. He also served as First Vice President of USA Wrestling, was a member of the Executive Committee, and was a member of the USA Wrestling Board of Directors for nearly 30 years. He was a chairperson for the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Sports Committee, Sports Science Committee, Freestyle Coach Selection Committee, and the Women’s Sports Committee. He also served for over a decade as the chairperson of the ad-hoc Title IX Committee and served on many other USA Wrestling Committees in the past.
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After retiring from coaching in 2008, Strobel transitioned into an administrative leadership position as Assistant Athletic Director at Lehigh in which he served multiple roles. He led Lehigh Athletics' camps and clinics efforts until his retirement following the 2018-19 academic year. Strobel remained active in the sport of wrestling, assisting the NCAA Rules Committee and serving as the Executive Director of the EIWA.
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Strobel was inducted into the Oregon State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2012, and the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. And, in 2009, a book about his life was published called ‘STROBEL: Stories from a Life with Wrestling’; written by Jamie Moffatt.
Â
A 1975 graduate of Oregon State, Strobel received his bachelor's degree and master's in business education. Strobel, who was also a three-time Pacific 8 Conference champion, earned an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholar-Athlete Award in 1975.
Â
Greg Strobel was an outstanding athlete, coach, mentor, and ambassador to the sport of wrestling.Â
Â
Strobel passed away in October 2020 at the age of 68. He and his late wife Donna are survived by two daughters, Jennifer and Christine, sons-in-law Rob and Joe, and four grandchildren.
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