Bob Guzzo faces assault charges

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Ryan Teague Beckwith (Raleigh News & Observer)
03/12/2003


RALEIGH, N.C. - State's head wrestling coach is facing an assault charge for an incident during a practice in January.     Bob Guzzo, 58, a former All-America wrestler who has coached at NCSU for nearly 30 years, was scheduled to appear in court Monday on a misdemeanor charge of simple assault, but the case was postponed until April due to a judge shortage. The incident was reported to campus police Jan. 29 by Clarence Davis Jr., a senior wrestler studying political science. Davis, 22, of Rock Hill, S.C., told police he was assaulted by Guzzo during a practice on Jan. 16 in the Weisiger-Brown Athletics Center.     Davis said Tuesday the incident began when he began yelling at an assistant coach who had refereed a "wrestle-off" that decided who would start at the next match.     "Coach Guzzo got mad about it and came and grabbed me by my arm and the back of my neck and took me to the back of the room," he said. "I was trying to get away from him and he grabbed me by the arm and throat."     Two assistant coaches broke up the confrontation, Davis said. He was dismissed from the team that day. He said he did not need to seek medical attention.     Davis said it was not the first time he had been manhandled by Guzzo, but it would have been difficult to pursue disciplinary measures against the coach while still a member of the team.     At first, he said he complained to the NCSU athletics department. After two weeks, however, he believed officials weren't acting fast enough. He talked with his father, who encouraged him to talk with campus police.     NCSU athletics director Lee Fowler said Tuesday he could not discuss any personnel issues about Guzzo. He said that he was not aware of a set policy for responding to such accusations.     "We deal with each individual case," Fowler said.    Guzzo's lawyer, Russell DeMent Jr., would not comment on any defense his client may make. However, DeMent said wrestling is different from other sports.     "Wrestlers are generally tough kids, you know?" he said. "They probably require a different kind of handling than golfers or tennis players."     Davis disagreed. "I mean, we're tough kids, but still," he said.