pankilchander

Chander ends tenure as head wrestling coach at Penn College

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Pankil Chander is stepping down as Penn College's head wrestling coach to accept another full-time coaching opportunity.

Penn College has begun a national search for Chander's replacement.

"I'm grateful for the lessons, relationships, and opportunities that came with being at the helm of Penn College Wrestling," Chander said. "I cherished the process of hard work it took with our student-athletes, coaches, and community to grow this program in every category - it could not have happened without the buy-in they displayed in my vision and system."

In two seasons, Chander reset the bar for Penn College wrestling and helped the program achieve many notable milestones - both in competition and in the classroom. Last season, the Wildcats began the year ranked No. 23 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) preseason poll and finished the year with the 23rd highest GPA in Division III wrestling. In between those achievements, the Wildcats accomplished the following:

  • The program's first victory over a nationally ranked opponent
  • The program's first-ever tournament title by winning the RIT Invitational
  • Seven wrestlers ranked in Mideast region
  • A runner-up finish at the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Championship
  • Nine podium finishers at the AMCC Championship
  • Three Mideast Regional place-winners
  • Four wrestlers with 30-plus wins
  • AMCC Team Peak Performance award – given to the program with the highest collective GPA
  • 18 wrestlers selected to the AMCC Academic All-Conference team
  • Two NWCA Scholar All-American


    During Chander's rookie campaign in 2022-23, Penn College surpassed double-digit dual meet wins and had a winning dual meet record for the first time in the NCAA Era and placed three wrestlers at the Mideast regionals. Isaac Cory became the program's first-ever national qualifier after his regional runner-up finish. Two wrestlers earned NWCA Scholar All-American honors, while 10 wrestlers were named to the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference (ECWC) All-Academic team.

    Chander also served as the department's Athletic Diversity and Inclusion Designee (ADID) and spearheaded the efforts to secure a grant for a new full-time position in the department's communications office.