PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Three-time All-New England wrestler Ryan Carr '00 will be the next head wrestling coach at Plymouth State University, Director of Athletics Kim Bownes announced on Thursday.
 
Carr, a three-time All-New England honoree, replaces former coach Eric Bergeron, who resigned from the position at the conclusion of the season.
 
Carr competed at the 190-pound and heavyweight divisions for the Panthers from 1995-96 through 1998-99. He was crowned New England Champion at heavyweight during his senior season, while also earning All-New England honors as a sophomore and junior after placing second in the 190-pound division.
 
"Having Ryan join the athletic department is extremely exciting," said Bownes. "Ryan is an alumnus who knows what Plymouth State is about. He was one of our most successful wrestlers during his time here and I am confident he is just what our program and student-athletes need and deserve."
 
A team captain as a senior, Carr was also a three-time Academic All-American. After completing his eligibility, he remained with the program as an assistant coach during the 1999-00 season where he helped mentor four All-New England wrestlers.
 
"Everything I learned about work came from two things – my mother and within the four walls of the wrestling room at this university," said Carr. "My hope is I can impart some of that experience and work ethic with the guys here. I'm looking forward to building this with them. We'll create our mission and values as a group and I'm just here to shepherd them through what they want this experience to be. It's going to be fun and it's going to be a lot of work, but I've never met a day of work I didn't like."
 
Carr spent 11 years as head wrestling coach at Salem High School from 2001-12, where he coached 13 state champions and five New England champions. He served as Team Massachusetts All-Star head coach three years and was a member of the Salem High football coaching staff from 2005-09, while also serving as the President and Football Coordinator for the town's Pop Warner program from 2005-10. From 2008-11 he was the Vice President and Director of Salem Rams Youth Football. The recipient of the Plymouth State Alumni Achievement Award in 2011, Carr gave up coaching in 2012 after the birth of his first child.
 
The Panthers went 2-13 in dual meets last winter, while having place finishers at five different tournaments, including multiple place finishers at the Doug Parker Invitational, Williams Open and Henry Marsh Invitational.