Greg Strobel of Bethlehem, Pa., has been named 1997 Freestyle Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling. This is the first time that Strobel has received this prestigious award. 
 He was co-coach of the 1997 U.S. Freestyle World Cup team, which won the team title in Stillwater, Okla. The U.S. team won every match in the team finals against their top rival, Russia, the first time in history. Six U.S. wrestlers claimed gold medals. 
 He also served as head coach of the 1997 Junior World Team, which had a strong fifth performance at the Junior World Championships in Finland. 
 Strobel served as assistant coach of the 1996 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team, which claimed the most freestyle medals of any nation with five, including three Olympic champions. 
 Strobel was the head coach at the 1994 Goodwill Games, where he led the United States to eight medals and two individual champions. He was also head coach of the 1997 U.S. Junior World freestyle team. 
 He was an assistant coach on the 1995 U.S. World team, which won the team title in Atlanta, Ga., and included four individual champions and six medalists. Strobel was also a member of the coaching staffs for the 1991, 1993 and 1994 U.S. World Teams. He also served on the 1992 U.S. Olympic coaching staff.  
 He is the head wrestling coach at Lehigh Univ., a nationally respected Div. I program. He is also a coach with the New York Athletic Club, one of the top freestyle wrestling clubs in the nation. The New York AC won the USA Wrestling Div. II freestyle national title in 1997. 
 Prior to joining Lehigh, he served as a coach with the Team Foxcatcher Wrestling Club, based in Newtown Square, Pa. Team Foxcatcher won the USA Wrestling Div. II national freestyle team title every year under Strobel. 
 Strobel served as National Teams Director for USA Wrestling from 1983-91, directing the programs for the elite athletes and international teams for the United States. He was responsible for overseeing the activities of the National Coaches and the volunteer coaching staffs. 
 He started his coaching career at Oregon State University, where he served as a graduate assistant coach for two years. He also served as head coach for Roseburg High School (Ore.) for three years, before returning to Oregon State, where he was an assistant coach for three years. 
 Strobel was a two-time NCAA Champion for Oregon State, and named Outstanding Wrestler at the 1973 NCAA Tournament. He was a national runner-up in freestyle, and a three-time state champion for Scappoose High School in Oregon.  
  PAST FREESTYLE COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS 
 1997 - Greg Strobel, Bethlehem, Pa., New York Athletic Club 
 1996 - Bruce Burnett, Colorado Springs, Colo., National Freestyle Coach 
 1995 - Bruce Burnett, Colorado Springs, Colo., National Freestyle Coach 
 1994 - Gene Davis, Colorado Springs, Colo., Athletes In Action 
 1993 - Joe Seay, Oklahoma City, Okla., Sunkist Kids 
 1992 - Bobby Douglas, Ames, Iowa, Sunkist Kids