John Garriques is in his 13th season as the head coach of the Centenary University wrestling program in 2018-19.
The Cyclones have posted a 103-70-1 (.594) dual-meet record during his first 12 seasons. Under his direction, the program has also sent at least one wrestler to the NCAA Championship Tournament during 11 of the past 12 years, returning 12 All-Americans.
The Cyclones are coming off a historic season, as the team finished their dual meet season 12-2, ranked 17th in the country, and finished 3rd at the NCAA Mideast Regionals, where they were crowned an NCAA All-Regional Team. Garriques recorded his 100th career win last year with a win over Delaware Valley University. Etiini Udott finished fifth in the nation and earned All-American status while Christopher Muce was a National Qualifier.
In 2016-17, Garriques guided the Cyclones to their second highest win total in school history with 11 victories. Centenary defeated nationally ranked opponents like #16 Wlikes and #21 TCNJ en route to a #19 national ranking in two different polls. The Clones send Udott, Muce
and Max Nauta
to Nationals. Nauta made his first appearance at Nationals after placing second at the East Regional. Muce also made his first appearance at Nationals after placing third at the East Regional. Udott made his second consecutive appearance at nationals with a third place finish. Newcomer Alec Donovan broke the single season record for wins (32) and pins (19).
In the Fall of 2016, Coach Garriques took over the Centenary University Cross-Country Program, and led the team to their best season in school history. The women's team finished with the Highest Team GPA and a second place finish in the CSAC Championships. Priscilla Ortiz was crowned Centenary's first Individuals Champion after taking first at the CSAC Championships. The men's team also had a successful year as well, finishing fifth out of 10 teams, which also goes down in the record books as one of the best season in school history.
In 2015-16, Garriques and the Cyclones collected seven wins on the season, nearly doubling their total from a season ago. Sibblies made his third straight appearance at Nationals with a first place finish at the NCAA East Regional. At nationals, Josh placed sixth and became Centenary's six All-American in school history.
Etiini Udott joined Sibblies at Nationals after a third place finish at Nationals.
In 2014-15, Sibblies qualified for the NCAA National Tournament, after placing second at the NCAA East Regional. Josh racked up 28 victories, including 12 by pinfall. Centenary had 2 other Regional Place winners in Adam Swift (Fourth Place) and Joe Bartolini (fifth place.)
In 2013-14, Garriques had three wrestlers qualify for Nationals. Chris Burdge became Centenary's Most Decorated Athlete of All Time, by beocming first four-time All-American after placing third at 165 and winning his second consecutive NCAA East Regional Championship. Burdge also earned his second consecutive NWCA scholar athlete accolade. Josh Sibblies qualified at 174 after placing second at the NCAA East Regional. Giovanni Santiago qualified at 184 after placing third at the NCAA East Regional.
Garriques guided the Cyclones to the best season in team history in 2012-13 as Centenary earned its highest-ever national ranking, taking third in the January 16th NCAA Division III poll. The ranking came after the Cyclones made history at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals when they defeated Augsburg in the second round, making it the first time in the event's history that Augsburg and defending champion Wartburg did not square off. That season the Cyclones were crowned the NCAA East Regional Champions and had five wrestlers qualify for the NCAA's.
The historic season also brought three All-American, including the program's first-ever, three-time All-American Chris Burdge who took home third place in the 157-pound bracket at the NCAA Championships. The program also had its first-ever national finalist in senior J.D. Zitone
, who finished the 2013 NCAA Championship with a second place medal at 285 lbs. Zitone, was also a two-time NWCA Academic All-American. Senior Owen Vernon also made a solid return for the Cyclones under Garriques as he secured the final All-American honor with a sixth-place finish at 165 lbs. In addition, Vernon earned an NWCA Academic All-American Honors.
The Cyclones finished the season with a program-best, sixth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament, ending the historic year as the sixth best team in all of Division III.
Off the mat, the 2012-13 squad was honored with the 23rd-best team GPA in Division III at 3.14, while Burdge, Zitone and Vernon were each named 2013 Scholar All-Americans. Zitone also earned Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
Garriques repeated history in the 2011-2012 season as he led the Cyclones to their second consecutive Metropolitan Conference Championship, sending four members of his squad to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. At the tournament, his squad finished 21
st with two student-athletes earning All-American honors. The Cyclones earned a final national ranking of No. 19.
The 2011-2012 team finished the season 8-5 overall, including a 6-1 conference mark. Leading the squad was fourth-ranked, 157-pound Chris Burdge who took home a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament as well as four first-place showings throughout the season, ending the year with a 31-3 record.
Joining Burdge was 285-pound All-American
J.D. Zitone who finished the year ranked fifth in the nation after earning a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Tournament as well as finishing the season undefeated at 26-0 for the Cyclones with a final record of 29-2.
The 2010-11 campaign proved to be Garriques’ best, as the Cyclones received their highest-ever national ranking, No. 8 in the country, won the Metropolitan Conference Tournament for the first time in program history, sent a program-record five wrestlers to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Champions and saw three achieve All-American status, also a program-first. The team placed 10th overall at the NCAA National Tournament, which was the best finish in school history
For his work, Garriques was named Metropolitan Conference Coach of the Year and assistant coach Mike Kessler earned Metropolitan Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
CU finished the year 12-2 overall, including 6-1 in Metropolitan Conference action, setting program records in dual victories and conference dual victories. Both of Centenary’s losses came to ranked opponents in No. 5 Ithaca and No. 12 TCNJ. The team placed second in both the Ithaca Invitational on Nov. 7 and the Doug Parker Invitational on Nov. 20.
Seven Cyclones won at least 20 matches, led by senior
Matt Regan’s 28. Fellow classmates Dave Alsieux (27 wins), Jon Stillo (25), Will Livingston (24) and Charles Cannella (22) also had successful seasons, as did junior Owen Vernon (22 victories) and sophomore JD Zitone (21).
Eight Cyclones placed in the Metropolitan Conference Tournament to give CC a league championship for the first time in program history. Livingston, Zitone and junior Tim Lutke won at 133-pounds, heavyweight and 197, respectively, to earn trips to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. They were joined by freshman Chris Burdge and Alsieux, who placed second at 157 and 141.
Burdge earned Metropolitan Conference Co-Rookie of the Year honors and d3wrestle.com Rookie of the Year accolades, but he was not finished. He upset the top-seed at 157 in the NCAAs and went on to place eighth to become Centenary’s first-ever rookie All-American. Livingston, who became the program’s first All-American last season when he placed third at 133, battled through injury to earn sixth-place and receive All-American status for the second-straight year, another program-first. Lutke took seventh at 197 as Centenary placed 13th out of 60 teams.
Centenary’s success extended past the mat, as the team posted the 10th-best GPA in the nation to earn a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Scholar Team Award. Moreover, Alsieux, Regan, Stillo, junior Jose Vega and Vernon each received NWCA Division III Scholar All-American honors, given to those student-athletes with at least a 3.2 GPA. For Stillo, it marked the third consecutive season he earned the award.
The 2009-10 campaign proved to be historic for the Cyclones, as Livingston became the program’s first-ever All-American, finishing third in the NCAA Wrestling Championships. He also was ranked a contender by d3wrestle.com. Livingston earned a berth to the prestigious event by winning his weight class in the Metropolitan Championships, the first Cyclone to achieve that feat for Garriques and just the second in program history. Thanks to Livingston’s efforts, Centenary finished the season ranked No. 27 in the country.
CU placed third in the Metropolitan championships as Regan finished second at 165, Stillo won true second at 149 and Alsieux took fourth at 141. Centenary finished the season 8-9 overall, with six losses coming at the hands of ranked teams, including three top-10 programs. Four Cyclones won at least 20 bouts. Off the mat, Centenary finished with the 17th-best GPA in the nation and Stillo, Alsieux, Mike Hall and Regan all were named Scholar All-Americans.
In 2008-09, CU won 10 dual matches, compared with only six losses. In tournament action, the wrestlers placed on 13 occasions, including one championship and one runner up. Vernon was named second alternate to the NCAA Tournament as the team finished fourth out of nine in the Metropolitan Championships. Off the mat, the team finished with the 22nd-best GPA in Division III and Stillo earned Scholar All-American honors with the 23rd-best individual GPA in the nation.
Garriques came to Centenary by way of a very well-known wrestling program at Phillipsburg High School, where he had been an assistant for three seasons under legendary Head Coach Rick Thompson. At Phillipsburg, Garriques' alma mater, he was directly involved with every aspect of the daily activities within the program. During his stint with the Stateliners, the team won three Skyland Conference Championships, one Group 4 Championship and had three individual state place winners.
Prior to his return to Phillipsburg, Garriques was an assistant for one year at Middlesex County College in Edison, N.J. While at Middlesex, he coached five national qualifiers, one All-American and coached the team to a fourth-place finish in the NJCAA National Tournament.
Garriques wrestled for Phillipsburg High School, where he was a three-time New Jersey State placewinner. He also helped his team to receive recognition of being No. 1 in the state, three years in a row. In 1997, his senior season, Garriques was a New Jersey State Finalist, taking second-place at the State Tournament. He was also named a High School All-American that same season, due to his second-place finish at the NHSCA National Tournament.
During his high school years, Phillipsburg won three Group 4 State Championship and three Skyland Conference Championships. Upon graduation, Garriques attended Gloucester County College in Gloucester, N.J. During his freshman year, he became a Junior College National Champion, on his way to becoming a two-time Junior College All-American in both 1998 and 2000.
During his career at Gloucester, he also helped the team win two national championships. From GCC, he transferred to Seton Hall University in the fall of 2000 and was an NCAA national qualifier. Garriques then completed his wrestling career the next season at Hofstra University where he became a national qualifier for the second consecutive year. While at Hofstra, Garriques helped the Pride achieve national recognition as they were ranked in the top 20 in the country and won the CAA conference. Garriques was ranked as high as fourth in NCAA Division I at his weight class during his senior season.
Garriques’ high school and college career record stands at 262-76. Along with his wrestling accolades, Garriques also holds a bachelor of arts degree in liberal studies with minors in psychology and communications from Seton Hall University in 2004.
Garriques currently resides in Phillipsburg, N.J., with his wife Jacqueline and their son Owen Teague, and daughter, Addie.
