Men's Wrestling
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach
- Email:
- jmk504@lehigh.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Third season
Jason Kutz ’96 returns for his third season as a coach for the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club, a position which allows the former EIWA Champion to work with the Mountain Hawks program on a volunteer basis. Kutz coached at Lehigh for three seasons, before serving as head coach at East Stroudsburg University for the 2006-07 season.
In his initial stint at Lehigh, Kutz mentored the Mountain Hawks’ lightweights, including Cory Cooperman ’06, who became a three-time All-American under his guidance. Lehigh won three EIWA team titles and posted three top ten NCAA finishes with Kutz on Greg Strobel’s staff. Kutz currently serves as the Volunteer Asssitant, working with the Lehigh lightweights and middleweights, while also serving as head coach for the LVAC.
Kutz placed second in the 2003 U.S. World Team Trials and retired from competition following the 2004 trials. He was ranked as high as second in the
In 2002 he placed third in the U.S. Team Trials and was sixth in 2001. At the U.S. Senior National Open he placed sixth in 2003, to go along with a third place finish in 2001 and sixth in 2000. He made a brief return to competition two years ago. He posted first and second place finishes at the Dave Schultz Memorial International and placed second at the Henri Deglane Challenge in France.
As a Lehigh student Kutz had an impressive career, going 46-8 over his last two years. He was captain his senior season, finishing with a 33-1 record and winning an EIWA title at 126 lbs. His efforts earned him a sixth seed at the NCAA, and his only loss was to a four-time All-American who was a member of the Japanese national team. That loss snapped a 24-bout dual meet win streak dating back to his sophomore year, one of the top such streaks in Lehigh history.
Kutz and his wife Christen reside in the Lehigh Valley with their daughters Payton and Emerson.
