Falcon Wrestling Adds George Lopez to Staff
10/17/2022 11:05:00 AM | Wrestling
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – Air Force has announced the addition of George Lopez to the wrestling coaching staff beginning in the 2022-23 season. Lopez will serve as the director of wrestling operations and assistant coach for the Air Force Regional Training Center.
"We are excited to add another member to our staff in George Lopez as our Director or Operations and Assistant Air Force RTC Coach," head coach Sam Barber said. "His passion for the sport of wrestling is infectious and inspiring. He greatest strengths of professionalism, a great work ethic, a high level of attention to detail while personally owning his duties and responsibilities in the program will be extremely impactful."
Lopez hails from the University of Indianapolis where earned his bachelor's and master's degrees, wrestled, and coached over the span of the last decade. As an athlete, Lopez competed for the Greyhounds at the 184-pound weight class from 2009-2014, helping the program to its first NCAA Division II Super Region Team Championship.
Lopez's coaching tenure began in 2016 where he served as the wrestling graduate assistant to his alma mater. Over the course of his career at the University of Indianapolis, he helped coach three national finalists, 16 All-Americans, 37 national qualifiers, 10 regional champions, and 79 NWCA Scholar All-Americans. During this time the wrestling program won two Super Region Team Titles and three Team Academic National Championships.
"I am honored and excited to join the United States Air Force Academy wrestling staff," Lopez said. "This wrestling program has a rich tradition of excellence that I am proud to be a part of. Coach Barber and his dedicated staff have been outstanding in upholding and building upon this long tradition. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity Coach Barber has given me to help facilitate in the success of these cadet-athletes. I look forward to the journey ahead."
Lopez's stellar coaching stint at Indianapolis peaked at the 2022 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships where he assisted head coach Jason Warthan and Bob Brubeck in guiding the Greyhounds to a program-best sixth-place team finish.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Jason Warthan and Bob Brubeck," Lopez continued. "Words cannot express my gratitude for all your support, guidance, and friendship. I would not be where I am today without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
"Our program continues to grow with outstanding people, and the people in our program, to include our cadet-athletes are our greatest asset and advantage," Barber continued. "With the addition of George our staff of four full time coaches, Cody Armstrong (athletic trainer), Marcus Rodriguez (sports information), and Bryce Taylor (strength and conditioning) stands out as one of the premier wrestling staffs in the country."
Lopez resides in Colorado Springs with his wife, Katy.
"We are excited to add another member to our staff in George Lopez as our Director or Operations and Assistant Air Force RTC Coach," head coach Sam Barber said. "His passion for the sport of wrestling is infectious and inspiring. He greatest strengths of professionalism, a great work ethic, a high level of attention to detail while personally owning his duties and responsibilities in the program will be extremely impactful."
Lopez hails from the University of Indianapolis where earned his bachelor's and master's degrees, wrestled, and coached over the span of the last decade. As an athlete, Lopez competed for the Greyhounds at the 184-pound weight class from 2009-2014, helping the program to its first NCAA Division II Super Region Team Championship.
Lopez's coaching tenure began in 2016 where he served as the wrestling graduate assistant to his alma mater. Over the course of his career at the University of Indianapolis, he helped coach three national finalists, 16 All-Americans, 37 national qualifiers, 10 regional champions, and 79 NWCA Scholar All-Americans. During this time the wrestling program won two Super Region Team Titles and three Team Academic National Championships.
"I am honored and excited to join the United States Air Force Academy wrestling staff," Lopez said. "This wrestling program has a rich tradition of excellence that I am proud to be a part of. Coach Barber and his dedicated staff have been outstanding in upholding and building upon this long tradition. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity Coach Barber has given me to help facilitate in the success of these cadet-athletes. I look forward to the journey ahead."
Lopez's stellar coaching stint at Indianapolis peaked at the 2022 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships where he assisted head coach Jason Warthan and Bob Brubeck in guiding the Greyhounds to a program-best sixth-place team finish.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Jason Warthan and Bob Brubeck," Lopez continued. "Words cannot express my gratitude for all your support, guidance, and friendship. I would not be where I am today without you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
"Our program continues to grow with outstanding people, and the people in our program, to include our cadet-athletes are our greatest asset and advantage," Barber continued. "With the addition of George our staff of four full time coaches, Cody Armstrong (athletic trainer), Marcus Rodriguez (sports information), and Bryce Taylor (strength and conditioning) stands out as one of the premier wrestling staffs in the country."
Lopez resides in Colorado Springs with his wife, Katy.
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