UPJ mourns the loss of the great wrestling coach and athletics director Pat Pecora.

For nearly half a century, UPJ athletics excellence has been virtually synonymous with Pat Pecora. Coach Pecora became head coach of the Mountain Cat wrestling program in 1976 following a stellar wrestling career at West Liberty State (WV) College and also served as UPJ's Athletic Director since 2008. Pecora held college wrestling's all-time wins mark with 661. Coach Pecora led Pitt-Johnstown to a pair of NCAA Division II National Championships, 25 NCAA Regional titles, and eight straight Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships. In 1996 and 1999, his teams captured the NCAA Division II National Championship, the first and second in school history. His teams won five consecutive NCAA Regional titles from 2003 through 2007 and ten in a row from 1992 through 2001. Pecora's squads also have 38 Top-20 national finishes, 24 Top-10 finishes, and 11 Top-5 finishes. He tutored 170 All-Americans and 15 individual national champions who have combined for 23 titles. Pecora's teams led the nation in NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team selections from 1997 through 2000. Since 1990, Pecora has coached nearly 200 NWCA All-Academic Wrestling Team members.

Reacting to the news of Coach Pecora's passing, UPJ President Jem Spectar issued the following statement:

"The UPJ family mourns the loss of Pat Pecora, a great coach, teacher, colleague -- a titan of a man and a champion of Olympic proportions. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and loved ones. For over four decades, Coach P built a monumental legacy of athletics excellence, transforming Pitt Johnstown into an unparalleled wrestling powerhouse that propelled legions of UPJ athletes to state, regional, and national championships while also elevating and burnishing UPJ's reputation. During a storied career, his many accomplishments became the stuff of legend, especially when, in 2020, he became the All-Time Winningest College Wrestling Coach (aka the Greatest of all Time or the GOAT) - across all divisions, breaking a 46-year-old record."
A highly acclaimed coach, Pecora won numerous awards for coaching excellence, including the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Coach of the Year in 1995, 1999, 2019, and 2022. Pecora was named the NCAA Regional Coach of the Year 22 times. Pecora also received the National Wrestling Coaches Association Coaching Excellence Award, which is given to the best coach in all divisions. Pecora also received the 2023-24 NWCA Bob Bubb Excellence in Coaching Award recipient and coached the National All-Star Team, which showcased the best wrestlers in the nation from all divisions. A member of the NWCA Board of Directors, Pecora was also the president of that organization for two terms.

Reacting to the news of the loss of her mentor and colleague, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Athletics, Abby Gearhart stated:

"Pat's family-first mentality has been the root of his success – in addition to his integrity, discipline, and sacrifice. He built a culture of family… treating all like his own. A father to many, Pat always quoted, "the true mark of success is consistency." Besides the consistent success in wrestling over the decades, Pat's greatest feat was how he consistently treated every human being like family and how he consistently lived a life of gratitude. He left an indelible mark on this campus, community, and generations to come."

Pecora's fame was celebrated across the country, including earning induction into nine halls of fame: Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame-East Boro Chapter (1994), Cambria County Sports (1998) West Liberty State (W.Va.) College Halls of Fame (1998), Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame (2001), NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame (2003), Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame (2015), Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame (2016), Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2017), and the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame (2021).

"The GOAT, in so many ways, was the personification of the fighting spirit of our Mt. Cat athletes, infusing the arena of competition with his characteristic resilience, relentless optimism, and indomitable will to prevail and triumph! On and off the court, and even decades after his students graduated, Coach P guided, shaped, and transformed the lives of legions of UPJ athletes, turning boys into successful men, advising and guiding students to become successful, impactful citizens and leaders in all walks of life across the country. We were honored to have this extraordinarily great man as part of our community for nearly five decades, and our campus, community, and world are better because of Pat Pecora," stated President Spectar.