For Immediate Release: ( May 18, 2004 )     Contact: Todd Merriett           Clayton Brings Five Years of Head Coaching Experience; Maldonado Wrestled at NCAA-Power Iowa State      WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army head wrestling coach Chuck Barbee announced today that Mike Clayton, a 1995 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and Bill Maldonado, a 2002 graduate of Iowa State University, have joined his staff as assistant coaches.    Clayton, a four-time letterwinner at Navy, was most recently the head wrestling coach at the Newport News Apprentice School in Newport News, Va. During his five years at the helm of the Builders, Clayton mentored 30 National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) All-Americans and eight national champions. He also increased the team size from eight wrestlers upon his arrival in 1999 to 30 in 2003 by developing a national recruiting base. Clayton's 2003-04 roster featured athletes from 14 different states.      For the final three years of his tenure at the Apprentice School, Clayton doubled as an academic instructor and taught Business Operations/Leadership, Ship Construction and Microsoft Office courses. One of his major accomplishments as an instructor was developing a partnership with the U.S. Naval Academy's leadership department as part of his business operations course.     Immediately following his graduation from Navy in 1995, Clayton, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Supply Corps, was named an assistant wrestling coach for the Midshipmen and served in that role for five months before heading to Athens, Ga., to complete the 27-week Navy Supply Corps Officers Basic Qualification School. While there, Clayton earned a spot on the All-Navy wrestling team, capturing a silver medal at the 1996 Armed Forces Championships and placing fourth at the Chattanooga, Tenn., Olympic Regional.    "The fact that Mike has five years of head coaching experience and an Academy degree makes him a great fit for our program," said Barbee. "He is a student of the sport with a great wrestling mind who will help our wrestlers become some of the best technical wrestlers in the country."     Maldonado comes to West Point after spending the last six years in Ames, Iowa, at Iowa State. A 2002 NCAA All-American, he earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish in 2002 and was awarded a master's degree in education earlier this month.     During his undergraduate days, Maldonado led the Cyclones to a pair of NCAA runner-up finishes and earned All-America honors following a sixth-place finish at 149 pounds at the NCAA Championships in Albany, N.Y., as a senior. That showing earned him All-America honors. Additionally, Maldonado was team captain his final season.    Since graduating in 2002, Maldonado has been the head coach of the Cyclone Wrestling Club. The squad is Iowa State's freestyle wrestling team that prepares wrestlers for the Olympic Games. Cael Sanderson, who wrestled for Iowa State and is the only undefeated four-time NCAA champion, was a member of the Cyclone Wrestling Club.    While working on his master's degree, Maldonado also spent time as a graduate assistant Strength and Conditioning coach, along with working in the Minority Student Affairs Office as a graduate assistant.     "Bill competed, coached and trained at the highest level of college wrestling while at Iowa State," commented Barbee. "His experience will prove valuable to the young men on our team who are focused on winning a national championship.    "Mike and Bill are outstanding coaches, but more importantly they are great people who are excellent additions to our staff."