Joe Corso of Metairie, La. has been named 2006 Women's Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling. This is the second time that Corso has received this prestigious award (2002, 2006). He is the first person to win the USA Wrestling Women's Coach of the Year award twice.

Corso was a World Team Coach for the 2006 U.S. Women's World Team, where he helped lead the U.S. team to two individual medals and a seventh place finish at the World Wrestling Championships in Guangzhou, China.

Corso served as head coach of three other U.S. Women's World Teams. He was the head coach of the 2001 Women's World Team, which placed seventh in the World Championships and featured two medalists. He was also the head coach of the 1998 Women's World Team, which placed third in the World Championships in Poznan, Poland and featured World Champion Tricia Saunders. Corso was head coach of the 1990 U.S. Women's World team, which placed sixth in the World Championships in Lulea, Sweden.

Corso served as assistant coach for the 2003 U.S. Women's World Team, which placed 11th in the team standings at the World Championships and was led by two medalists. He was an assistant coach on the 1991 U.S. Women's World Team, which placed fifth in the World Championships in Tokyo, Japan. He was also the head coach of the 1992 and 1998 U.S. Men's Junior World Freestyle Teams. 

Corso works as the head wrestling coach at Brother Martin High School in Louisiana, and is active in the programs within Louisiana USA Wrestling. He is also a coach for the Gator WC, which placed third at the 2006 U.S. Nationals, and featured two individual national champions (Sharon Jacobson, Sally Roberts)

Corso was previously a coach and administrator for the Sunkist Kids club for many years. He coached the women wrestlers for the Sunkist Kids, heloing building it into the strongest program within women's wrestling.

He was the head wrestling coach at Phoenix College from 1992-93. Corso has served as an assistant coach at Purdue Univ., the Univ. of Minnesota and Indiana Univ. He was also the head coach of Brophy Preperatory High School from 1989-91. He has also coached a number of U.S. men's wrestling teams on international tours. 

Corso was a member of the 1976 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team. He placed third in the 1979 World Championships, and won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Championships. He was also a gold medalist in the 1992 Veterans World Championships. He has won 10 national freestyle titles. 

Corso placed third in the 1975 NCAA Championships for Purdue Univ. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, he was an Iowa state high school champion in 1971.

USA Wrestling will be announcing major award winners each day this week on TheMat.com.

PAST WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2006 - Joe Corso, Metairie, La., Gator WC
2005 - Bill Scherr, Glenview, Ill., Sunkist Kids
2004 - Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
2003 - Townsend Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz., Sunkist Kids
2002 - Joe Corso, Des Moines, Iowa, Sunkist Kids