9/3/21
 
FRANK BARBRIE ANNOUNCED AS NEW HEAD WRESTLING COACH
The Pittston Area native returns home to helm the Falcons' Wrestling Program
 
SCRANTON, Pa. – The Lackawanna College Athletic Department is pleased to announce the hiring of Frank Barbrie as the new head coach for both the men's and women's wrestling programs at Lackawanna College.
 
"Frank brings to Lackawanna College athletics a great deal of wrestling experience," said Erik Larson, Director of Athletics at Lackawanna College. "Frank is aware of how successful our wrestling athletes have been and has a great vision to take our program even further."
 
Barbrie, a Pittston Area HS graduate and Northeast PA native, brings a wide swath of wrestling expertise and experience to the Falcons wrestling program. He's had multiple stops throughout his career, including as an assistant with both the Lake-Lehman HS and Danville Area HS wrestling teams here in NEPA.
 
Barbrie was also the head wrestling coach at Luzerne County Community College, where he rebuilt the wrestling program from retirement to club status in the early 2000's, and made them competitive with some of the regional powers in the college wrestling world. His teams sent five wrestlers to the NCWA National Wrestling Tournament, and had nine NCWA national qualifiers in his time in Nanticoke.
 
"I am honored and consider myself extremely blessed to be the next head wrestling coach at Lackawanna College," said Barbrie. "It was a dream of mine to become a college head coach ever since I was in high school. It was an even bigger dream to become a college coach in the area where I grew up."
 
Barbrie most recently spent time as the assistant wrestling coach at Zachary Schools in Louisiana. He also ran the Bronco Kids Wrestling Club, which emphasizes Freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling techniques. Barbrie coached four Louisiana state medalists.
 
Before his time in Louisiana, Barbrie spent six years as the head wrestling coach at Franklin High School in Tennessee, where he compiled a team record of 102-43, coached four state champions and eighteen state medal winners. He was named the 2015 USA Wrestling (TN) "Volunteer Coach of the Year."
 
"I am overjoyed to be back home," said Barbrie, a three-time PIAA District 2 Wrestling Champion in his time at Pittston Area. "The Northeast PA area is a great place to live and work."
 
Barbrie inherits a Lackawanna College men's wrestling program that sent three wrestlers to the NJCAA National Tournament, despite a shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will also helm the women's wrestling program, with plans to start in earnest during the 2021-2022 season.
 
"I am extremely excited to get the season started," said Barbrie. "I want to build on the success of the program that (former) coach John Fox started five years ago."
 
As a junior college wrestler, Barbrie was a two-year starter for the two-time NJCAA national champion Garden City CC wrestling team, and was named to the 1996 NJCAA All-American team. Barbrie earned a full scholarship to Bloomsburg University, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Communications. Barbrie would eventually add an education degree from Bloomsburg, and then a Master's in education from Wilkes University.
 
"I would like to thank Athletic Director Erik Larson, the Lackawanna College athletic department, and the administration for their leadership and this wonderful opportunity," said Barbrie. "I want to thank my mom and my angel "Dad," my family, my former coaches and mentors, and countless people who supported me since I was a child.
 
"I am in the unique position of inheriting a great young team. I am excited."
 
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