EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Jason Kutz, a former wrestler and coach at Lehigh University, has been named wrestling coach at East Stroudsburg University, athletic director Dr. Tom Gioglio announced. Kutz will begin his duties July 8. 

Kutz spent the last three years as an assistant coach at Lehigh University where he was responsible for practice programs, recruiting, camps and freestyle competitions. He also wrestled under head coach Greg Strobel. 

"Jason is a perfect fit for us," Gioglio said. "His enthusiasm and experience are what we were looking for in our new wrestling coach. He has been around world class athletes as a competitor and coach and has a strong recruiting background. He comes from one of the top programs in the country and we are excited to have him." 

Prior to joining the Lehigh staff, Kutz spent six years in the United States Army as a staff sergeant. There, he served as a noncommissioned officer and squad leader and recruited soldiers for the Army and the World Class Training Program. 

"I am extremely excited to take over as head wrestling coach at East Stroudsburg University," Kutz said. "I looked at the program and only saw potential. I am inheriting a young team with some good talent. I look forward to building upon what has already been established and moving the program forward. The location of the university will allow me to immediately recruit the best student athletes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, three of the most successful states at the high school level." 

Kutz was also a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Col., where he represented the United States in numerous international competitions. 

Kutz wrestled for Lehigh for four years and was a 1996 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion at 126 pounds. He was 46-8 his last two seasons, including a 33-1 mark as a senior, when he was team captain and earned an EIWA title. 

Among his accolades as an international competition were a sixth-place finish at the 2004 Olympic trails, a second-place finish in the 2003 world team trials, a two-time National Team Member for Team USA and World Military Champion at 60kg in 2003, a third-place finish at 2001 nationals and a seventh-place finish at the Olympic team trails in 2000. He won the 2002 Dave Schultz Memorial Tournament and finished second a year later. 

Kutz earned his bachelor's degree in biology and his master's in secondary education from Lehigh where he was a Dean's List student. 

He wrestled scholastically at Altoona High School where he was a two-time state place winner. 

Kutz is the fifth Lehigh assistant coach to land a Division I head coaching job, recently joining Joel Sharratt (Air Force), Kerry McCoy (Stanford), Pat Santoro (Maryland) and Chris Ayres (Princeton). 

Kutz and his wife Christen have two daughters, two-year old Payton and newborn Emerson. 

Kutz replaces Angelo Borzio who resigned in December. 

Kutz will be formally introduced during a press conference at Koehler Fieldhouse at a date and time to be announced.