Pitt-Johnstown Head Coach Pat Pecora was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) 2017-18 Super Region I Coach of the Year for the 17^th time in his career on Saturday after leading the Mountain Cats to a 12-3 dual meet record and the program's third consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Dual Meet Championship.
 
 This year's award was announced following the conclusion of the Super Region I Tournament in Pitt-Johnstown's Sports Center.  Pecora, who garnered his 17^th Regional Coach of the Year Award, will now be placed on the ballot for voting for NWCA National Coach of the Year honors that will be announced at this year's NCAA Division II National Championships in Cedar Rapids, IA on March 9 and 10.
 
Pecora, in his 42^nd season at the helm of the Mountain Cat wrestling program, led Pitt-Johnstown to a 12-3 overall record and a perfect 7-0 record in the PSAC.  The Mountain Cats recorded their third consecutive dual meet title despite losing returning champions to season ending injuries in each of the last two years.  In addition, Pitt-Johnstown placed fourth overall and first among the eight Division II schools at the PSAC Championships in December to mark the program's best finish since joining the conference in 2013-14.
 
Pecora, who also doubles as Pitt-Johnstown's Athletic Director since July 2008, took over the Mountain Cat wrestling program in 1976.
 
His 581 career victories rank second all-time among coaches in all divisions.
 
Pecora has guided his team to 21 NCAA Regional Championships, including five straight from 2003 through 2007 and ten in a row from 1992 through 2001.
 
His Mountain Cat squads have won a pair of NCAA Division II National Championships, and have 33 Top-20 national finishes, 21 Top-10 finishes, and five Top-5 finishes.  They have combined to win 49 team tournaments and 581 dual meets.

Pecora has tutored 145 All-Americans and 12 individual national champions who have combined for 19 titles.  Academically, his teams led the nation in NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team selections from 1997 through 2000.  Since 1990, Coach Pecora has coached over 100 NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team members.

In 1996 and 1999, his teams captured the NCAA Division II National Championship, the first and second in school history.  In 1995 and 1999, Coach Pecora was named NCAA Division II National "Coach of the Year." Also in 1999, he received the National Wrestling Coaches Association Coaching Excellence Award, given to the best coach in all divisions.  Pecora also coached the National All-Star Team, which showcased the best wrestlers in the nation from all divisions.
 
Pecora, a member of the NWCA Board of Directors, was also the president of that organization for two terms.
 
In 1994, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame-East Boro Chapter, and in 1998, he was inducted into both the Cambria County Sports and the West Liberty State (W.Va.) College Halls of Fame.  In March 2001, Coach Pecora was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, and, in 2003, he earned induction into the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame.  In April 2015, he earned induction into the Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame and in April 2016, he joined the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.  In April 2017, he was inducted into the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
 
Coach Pecora also earned the 2008 United States Marine Corps Excellence in Leadership Award.