Shon Lewis (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) has been named 2006 Greco-Roman Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling. This is the third time Lewis has won this prestigious award (2002, 2003, 2006).

Lewis was a member of the coaching staff for the 2006 U.S. World Greco-Roman team, which placed third in the team standings, led by three individual medalists. It was considered one of the greatest U.S. efforts ever at a Greco-Roman World Championships. 

Lewis coached the 2006 U.S. Pan American Championships team, which competed in Rio de Janiero, Brazil and placed second in the team standings. The U.S. team had one individual champion, Joe Warren, and won a medal in all seven weight classes.

Lewis works as the head coach of the U.S. Army team, stationed in Fort Carson, Colo. He is responsible for training the athletes in the Army's World Class Athlete Program. In 2006, the U.S. Army won the U.S. Nationals team title in Div. I. The Army was also the champion at the 2006 Armed Forces Championships.

He is the coach for 2006 U.S. World Team member Dremiel Byers at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Byers was a World champion in 2002, one of only five Americans to win a Greco-Roman World title.

Lewis served as head coach of the 2003 U.S. Greco-Roman World team that competed in Cretiel, France. The U.S. team placed 13th in the standings, led by three athletes in the top 10 of their divisions. He served as the assistant coach of the 2002 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team, which placed fifth in the World Championships held in Moscow, Russia. The team was led by World Champion Dremiel Byers. 

The U.S. Army has won the Armed Forces title a number of times since Lewis became head coach. Lewis has also served as a coach for the U.S. World Military team, which competes at the CISM World Military Championships. 

As an athlete, Lewis competed on the 1993 and 1999 U.S. World Championships teams. He also qualified for the 1998 U.S. World Team, but was unable to participate in the World Championships that year. He was a four-time U.S. Nationals Greco-Roman champion (1993-94, 1996, 1998), and was a medalist in three U.S. Olympic Team Trials (1992, 1996, 2000). Lewis was a member of the U.S. Army team as an athlete, winning six Armed Forces Greco-Roman titles and competing in the World Military Championships. He was the 1993 U.S. Army Athlete of the Year, an award including all sports in the Army's program. 

Prior to joining the Army, he attended the Univ. of Oregon, as well as competing for Placer High School in Auburn, Calif.	

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

PAST GRECO-ROMAN COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
2006 - Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army
2005 - Shawn Sheldon, West Palm Beach, Fla., New York AC
2004 - Andy Seras, Sandy Hook, Conn., Sunkist Kids
2003 - Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army
2002 - Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army
2001 - Andy Seras, Sandy Hook, Conn., Sunkist Kids
2000 - Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn., Minnesota Storm
1999 - Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn., Minnesota Storm
1998 - Jay Antonelli, Quantico, Va., U.S. Marines
1997 - Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn., Minnesota Storm
1996 - Rob Hermann, Pensacola, Fla., U.S. Navy
1995 - Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn., Minnesota Storm
1994 - Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn., Minnesota USA Wrestling
1993 - Tony Thomas, Fort Benning, Ga., U.S. Army
1992 - Rob Hermann, Pensacola, Fla., U.S. Navy