Flanik hired to coach Cumberland College’s women wrestlers

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Gary Abbott (USA Wrestling)
08/06/2001


Cumberland College has hired Kip Flanik of South Euclid, Ohio to join the wrestling coaching staff and serve as the women's wrestling coach, announced head coach Jess Wilder.    Flanik has been an active women's wrestling coach on the national level in recent years. Of the six members of the 2001 U.S. Women's World Team, Flanik coached two in his Cleveland-area club programs: Tina George at 123 pounds and Toccara Montgomery at 149.75 pounds. Flanik also serves as the Women's Director for USA Wrestling/Ohio, and has considerable high school coaching experience. He coached for nine years as an assistant at Cleveland Heights High School and two years as a head coach.    "We are excited to have Coach Flanik at our institution," said Wilder. "He is one of the premier coaches in women's wrestling. Kip is credited with the development of two of the six members of the U.S. World Team. I believe that statistic speaks for itself. We are confident that Mr. Flanik is truly dedicated to women's wrestling and will do a wonderful job here."    "I think that my knowledge of women's wrestling will help Cumberland women's team catch up with the competition and take the program to the next level," said Flanik.    Cumberland College, located in Williamsburg, Ky., is one of the five U.S. colleges that sponsor a women's varsity wrestling team.  Cumberland had a tremendous recruiting season this year for its women's teams, signing three TheMat.com/ASICS First Team members: Toccara Montgomery of Ohio, Cathilee Albert of Colorado and Jessi Shirley of Ohio.