Dan Chandler (Minneapolis, Minn./Minnesota Storm) has been named 2012 Greco-Roman Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the sixth time in his career that Chandler has won this prestigious honor (1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2012). Chandler served as an official Olympic coach of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team which competed in London, England. The U.S. had six qualifiers in Greco-Roman and had three athletes compete in the top 10 of their weight class. Chandler was personal and club coach for Olympian Chas Betts at 84 kg/185 lbs. Chandler was the head coach of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team in Sydney, Australia, which finished with three medals and a team third-place finish. It was considered by many the best performance by a U.S. Greco-Roman team in Olympic history. The U.S. medalists were Rulon Gardner (gold), Matt Lindland (silver) and Garrett Lowney (bronze). Chandler also served as the assistant coach for the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, which featured silver medalist Dennis Koslowski and bronze medalist Rodney Smith. He served on the coaching staff at the 1988, 1996, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Chandler was the head coach of the 1995, 1997 and 1999 U.S. Greco-Roman World teams. The 1995 team placed in a tie for fourth in the team standings in Prague, Czech Republic. The team featured two medalists, champion Dennis Hall and runner-up Matt Ghaffari. The 1997 U.S. World team placed 12th in the World Championships. The 1999 U.S. World team placed 14th in the final standings, with three wrestlers placing in the top 10 of their weight division. He was also a U.S. World Team Coach in 2009 in Herning, Denmark and in 2011 in Istanbul, Turkey. He was the coach of the 2003 Pan American Games team which competed in the Dominican Republic. Chandler served as head coach of the 1994 Pan American Championships team, which won the team title. He also coached the 1990 and 1993 World Cup teams. Chandler works as the state coach for Minnesota USA Wrestling, coaching athletes in the state on all age levels. He also coaches the Minnesota Storm club, which features many of the best Greco-Roman athletes in the nation. The Minnesota Storm is among the most successful club teams on the national level, earning team honors on the Senior and age-group levels. He also coached three years on the college level at St. Thomas Univ., and as an assistant at the Univ. of Minnesota. As an athlete, he was a member of three U.S. Olympic teams (1976, 1980, 1984). Chandler competed in six World Championships, placing as high as fifth in the 1979 World Championships. He won medals in three Pan American Games, including golds in 1975 and 1979. Chandler competed for the Univ. of Minnesota. This year, Chandler was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, recognizing his impact as a coach, athlete and leader. PAST GRECO-ROMAN COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS 2012 – Dan Chandler, Minneapolis, Minn. Minnesota Storm 2011 – Shon Lewis, Colorado Springs, Colo., U.S. Army 2010 – Dan Hicks, Camp LeJeune, N.C., U.S. Marine Corps 2009 – Ivan Ivanov, Boise, Idaho, Suples WC and USOEC 2008 - Brandon Paulson, Anoka, Minn., Minnesota Storm 2007 - Jay Antonelli, Chesapeake, Va., U.S Marines 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