Wrestling coach Yates dismissed
YATES
By Staci Reafsnyder | Sports Editor
The University of Indianapolis Athletic Department announced on Dec. 9, 2008, that Terry Wetherald would take over the wrestling program as interim head coach for the rest of the 2009 season.
Due to circumstances not disclosed to The Reflector, previous head coach Jay Yates was removed from his position.
Yates graduated from UIndy in 2001 and became the head coach in 2003, left for a season and returned in 2005.
According to the Sports Information Director Mitch Wigness, during Yates’ UIndy wrestling career, he was the first Multi All-American and the first Greyhound to be a national runner-up.
“[Relieving Yates] had nothing to do with his coaching abilities,” Wigness said. “I’m sure [this change] affects [the athletes], but wrestling is more of an individual sport working as a team.”
Director of Athletics Sue Willey said that she asked Wetherald to take on the position to maintain stability for the student athletes.
“Legal issues forced us to relieve coach Yates,” Willey said. “I chose to hire Terry Wetherald to be the interim coach.”
Wetherald said when Willey asked him to come back, it caught him off guard.
“My first reaction was, I’m very concerned with the program,” Wetherald said. “I’m glad that they asked me to keep a little continuity going.”
He said that the team has been good about accepting the change, and he is glad to be back, even under the circumstances. Wetherald’s goals for this season are to have the team go as far as they can in the nation and for them to be as strong as they can be.
“We’re going to surprise some people,” Wetherald said.
Wetherald has had past experience coaching at UIndy. He was the coach of the wrestling program for 31 years.
“He basically built the [wrestling] program,” Willey said.
After his retirement in 2000, he was asked to come back as the interim head coach in 2002. Since then he has been on the board of directors for the Greyhound Club.
According to Willey, they will post the open position for head coach on the university Web site by the beginning of March and around mid-April they should have the position filled for the 2009-10 season.
