LITTLE ROCK – The next milestone in Little Rock's addition of adding wrestling as its 15th intercollegiate program took place Tuesday morning when the Trojans officially introduced
Neil Erisman as the first head coach in program history.
Announced on June 20, 2018, Erisman and his took to the podium in his first official public appearance as the Trojans' head coach and laid out his plans for the future of Little Rock wrestling.
"There's only so many head coaching jobs at the Division I level in the country, and to get this opportunity is something I'm extremely grateful for," Erisman said. "My goal for this program is to get high-level student-athletes that are engaging, that are exciting, and that represent themselves, their families and their programs in the right way. There's nothing going to be more exciting than our first dual here at the Jack Stephens Center when Arkansas gets to experience Division I wrestling for the first time."
Additionally, the renderings for the new Greg Hatcher Wrestling Center were unveiled, which will provide a state-of-the-art home for the Trojan wrestling program. Once completed, the stand-alone wrestling center will be one of the best nationally, adding to Little Rock's commitment to sport.
The facility represents a major portion of Greg Hatcher's $1.4 million gift and will provide a state-of-the art home for Trojan wrestling. The center will be over 16,000 square feet, featuring four wrestling mats comprising the interior. Coaches offices, locker rooms, a players lounge, training room and a weight room will all be housed inside the facility.
The Hatcher Wrestling Center will also feature a pair of outdoor patio areas, which will be utilized by the campus community, giving a place for students, faculty and staff to meet and socialize. The facility will be built adjacent to the Donaghey Athletic Center on the south end of campus, occupying the space where the old tennis courts used to reside.
"This was a vision of Greg Hatcher, and to him, I say thank you," Conque said. "We appreciate you sharing your vision, your time, your tenacity and your philanthropy to make this all happen. I'm confident with the support of Greg and this community, this program will quickly become a national contender in just a few short years."
"Little Rock wrestling isn't here just to participate, it's here to compete," said Hatcher. "To have four wrestling mats to practice with in a stand-alone building with its own locker room, its own coaches offices and its own weight room, Little Rock will have one of the premiere wrestling facilities in the country."
Construction on the Hatcher Wrestling Center will begin this fall and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2019. Erisman continues to recruit his first signing class as Little Rock sets its sights on its first season of competition in the fall of 2019.
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