Wrestling is a Varsity sport at Springfield College that evolved from the interest of a group of people after it had been a part of the instructional program for about 24 years. In 1915, Alvin Banks organized, coached, and captained the first official wrestling team at the college. The first meet was against Princeton, and the Springfield College team was defeated 22-4. In the next and final match of the first season, Springfield faced M.I.T. and defeated them 17-8.

Springfield continued to excel in the sport, with a short hiatus during World War I (1918 & 1919) when the campus was closed. Erastus W. Pennock took over coaching as the teams 1st faculty coach in 1927. He coached the team until 1943 when he became ill. He was a very influential coach in the sport throughout his time at Springfield.

In 1950, Sam Coursen joined the Olympic team and was a member of the 1952 Olympic wrestling team in Helsinki. Head coach Douglas Parker took over the team in 1956 and coached until 1990. Under his leadership, the 1963-1964 season produced the first undefeated team in Springfield College history. By 1968, the team had won 18 straight NEIWA (New England Interscholastic Wrestling Association) championships. By the end of his time as head coach, Douglas Parker had amassed an amazing record of 472 wins, 154 losses, and 11 ties. In 1990 Darryl Arroyo took over as coach and led the team until 2011, when Jason Holder took over.

In 2008, Springfield College became only the fourth program in the nation to win 900 matches, joining Division I powers Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State. At the time of the writing of this historical note, the Springfield College wrestling program has had over 72 All-Americans. In 2016 Springfield College became one of the only eight schools in Division III wrestling to have multiple individual regional championships. And on January 14, 2017 the wrestling team won their 1000th and 1001 dual meet victory defeating Thiel College & Wesleyan College, becoming the only Division III Wrestling program in the nation to achieve this milestone

Perhaps one of the greatest wrestlers to come through the program was Jeffrey Blatnick, class of 1979. Jeff Blatnick captured the gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In his time at Springfield, Blatnick won a pair of NCAA Division II national titles in the heavyweight class (1978 and 1979). He is the recipient of a trophy for most pins in the least amount of elapsed time. He was also the bronze medal winner in 220 pound weight class at Junior World Games, and was named Athlete-of-the-Year at Springfield College during his sophomore and junior years.

- Original written by Kirsten Arsenault in 2015 - Additions and changes written and researched by Elisana De Leon in 2017

 Information mostly retrieved from: • Springfield College Athletic Department Wrestling Team Website

• 1915 - Alvin Banks organized, coached, & captained first team

• 1916 - Ernest Brettschneider (‘17) is the New England Champion for the 125 pound weight class

* 1920 - 3 individual champions at the New England Championships Harry Anderson (class of 1923), Giles Denny (class of 1922), and Bernard Mooney (class of 1923, 285 pound weight class)

• 1923 - Team coached by freshman Leo Staley (’24). George Zimmerman wins 135 lb. title in NEIWA tournament • 1924 - Team coached by Walter Thomas (’25)

• 1925 - Walter Thomas (’25) receives first major “S” at Springfield & George James (’25) and Walter Thomas (class of 1925, 147 lb. weight class) win 1st at New England Championships

• 1927 - Erastus W. Pennock took over coaching as 1st faculty coach (64 wins, 59 losses, 9 ties). Neil Quimby (class of 1929, 135 lb. weight class) wins New England Championships

• 1932 - Springfield defeated Brown for the 1st time ever

• 1934 - 1st place at the NEIWA tournament

• 1947 - Start of Junior Varsity wrestling team. Team coached by Bliss Sargeant (4 wins, 4 losses, 1 tie)

• 1948 - Team coached by Vic Kodis (4 wins, 5 losses)

• 1949 - Team coached by Raymond Sparks (46 wins, 19 losses, 6 ties)

• 1950 - Sam Coursen (123 lb. weight class, ’53) joined Olympic team & was a member of the 1952 U.S. wrestling team at the Helsinki Summer Olympics

• 1953 - Won NEIWA championships. Coach Sparks elected President of the American Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association & appointed member of the N.C.A.A. Wrestling Rules Committee

• 1955 - Springfield’s 5th consecutive championship

• 1956 - Douglas Parker begins coaching the team (472 wins, 154 losses, 11 ties)

• 1961 - Won NEIWA Championship

• 1962 - Won NEIWA Championship & set new team record scoring 98 points

• 1963 - Won NEIWA Championship & set new team record scoring 106 points. Matt Sanzone (’63) set new school record scoring 79 points during 1 season

• 1964 - Became 1st undefeated team in Springfield College history led by Coach Parker with a record of 10 wins & 1 tie. 7 champions at New England Championships, a feat never-before accomplished [Matt Sanzone (’63), George Fox (’64), Michael Gessford (’64), Jules Balon (’64), Michael Hynes (’65), Paul Schmutz (’65), & John Cerra (’65)]

• 1968 - Won 18th straight NEIWA championship

• 1978 - Jeff Blatnick (’79) wins National Championship for the heavyweight class

• 1979 - Jeff Blatnick (’79) wins second National Championship for the heavyweight class

• 1991 - Daryl Arroyo begins coaching the team (301 wins, 160 losses, 6 ties)

• 2008 - Springfield College became only the fourth program in the nation to win 900 matches, joining Division I powers Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State.

• 2011 - Jason Holder begins coaching the team (As of 2017: 71 wins, 42 losses)

• 2013 - Devin Biscaha (’14) wins National Championship for 157 pound weight class

• 2014 - Dylan Foley earns prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship

• 2015 - Springfield College Hosts Opening Day of NCAA Division III Northeast Wrestling Regional Championships. Daryl Arroyo '84 to be Inducted Into National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Tyler Keane and Jake Benedict Win Individual Titles at NCAA Division III Wrestling Northeast Regional Championships

• 2017 - On January 14, 2017 the wrestling team won their 1000th and 1001 dual meet victory defeating Thiel College & Wesleyan College, becoming the only Division III Wrestling program in the nation to achieve this milestone.