Eiter, Corso to coach 2001 U.S. Women's World Team
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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
03/08/2001
USA Wrestling has named its head and assistant coaches for the 2001 U.S. Women's World Team, head coach Rob Eiter of Northbrook, Ill. and assistant coach Joe Corso of West Des Moines, Iowa. The U.S. Women's World Team will compete at the 2001 World Championships of Wrestling, to be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Sept. 26-29. The team will be determined at the World Team Trials, set for Cincinnati, Ohio on June 22-24. Eiter is currently an assistant coach at Northwestern Univ., and previously served as assistant wrestling coach at Clarion Univ. He works in his family's private business in the Chicago area. Eiter was the head coach of the 1999 U.S. Women's World Team, which claimed the World Team Title. It was the only time that the United States has won the Women's World Team crown. Eiter was also a co-head coach of the 2000 U.S. Women's World Team, which placed fifth at the World Championships. The United States has had three World Champions when Eiter has served as a head coach: Tricia Saunders (1999), Sandy Bacher (1999) and Kristie Marano (2000). Eiter was eighth in the 1996 Olympic Games, competing at 105.5 pounds. He placed seventh in the 1995 World Championships and ninth in the 1993 World Championships. He was a member of the 1993 and 1995 U.S. World teams, which claimed the World Team title for the United States. He won five U.S. National Championships and three Sunkist Kids International Open titles. Eiter competed for Arizona State Univ., and is originally from Arlington Heights, Ill. "After winning the team title in 1999, and coming back without a great performance in 2000, it shows how the women's field has improved over the years," said Eiter. "With our best team out there this year, we should be very competitive." "It should be real fun this year. It will be a great showcase for women's wrestling, being held side-by-side with the men. I'm looking forward to the event being in New York. We have the potential to medal in every weight class. We are getting deeper and deeper in every weight class," he said. Corso has coached numerous U.S. Women's teams in international competition. Corso served as 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. He was also the head coach of the 1990 U.S. Women's World team, which placed sixth in the World Championships in Lulea, Sweden. 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 the head coach of the 1992 and 1998 U.S. Junior World Freestyle Teams. He has also coached a number of U.S. men's wrestling teams on international tours. He runs a local business in Des Moines. Corso has been a coach and administrator for the Sunkist Kids club, which has won numerous national team titles on the Senior and age-group levels in both men's and 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. 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. The United States is a World power in women's freestyle wrestling, having claimed the team title in 1999 and placing in the top five at the last eight Women's World Championships.