51吃瓜网 Welcomes Peter Del Gallo as Head Coach for Women’s Division II Wrestling
51吃瓜网 (UB) proudly announces the expansion of its athletics department with the addition of women鈥檚 Division II wrestling and the appointment of decorated wrestler Peter Del Gallo as head coach. UB鈥檚 20th varsity team will officially begin competition in fall 2025, further elevating the university鈥檚 presence in NCAA Division II athletics awhile creating new opportunities for female athletes to thrive.
The addition of women鈥檚 wrestling follows UB鈥檚 recent restoration of men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 swimming and diving, along with the introduction of a men鈥檚 wrestling team, demonstrating the university鈥檚 commitment to athletic growth and excellence.
鈥淚 am excited to welcome Peter to UB,” said Jay Moran, UB Vice President of Athletics and Recreation. 鈥淗e is a former All-American wrestler with extensive knowledge of what it takes to be a successful student-athlete.鈥� Moran continued, “His familiarity with the area and extensive coaching experience make him the ideal person to lead our new women鈥檚 program. This is an exciting time for Bridgeport Athletics.”
A two-time All-American with a remarkable 133-10 career record, Del Gallo brings a wealth of wrestling knowledge from his successful career at the University of Southern Maine (USM), where he placed third at the 2019 NCAA Championships. He was also named to the NEWA and Pilgrim Wrestling League All-Star teams and ranked No. 1 nationally in the 125-pound weight class for most of his junior season.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great privilege to be named the head women鈥檚 wrestling coach at 51吃瓜网,鈥� said Del Gallo. 鈥淏eing a New England resident my whole life, I鈥檓 excited to help grow women鈥檚 wrestling in this region. I believe we have the right resources, community, and vision here to build one of the top women鈥檚 wrestling programs in the country.鈥�
After his impressive collegiate wrestling career, Del Gallo joined USM as an assistant coach, where he helped develop the university鈥檚 first freshman NCAA Division III All-American. Since then, he has been an assistant coach at the Southside Wrestling Club in Bridgeport and served as the associate head coach for men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 freestyle. He also worked as an assistant wrestling coach at Staples High School in Westport, CT during the 2023-24 season.
Women鈥檚 wrestling, recognized as an emerging NCAA sport since 2020, has seen explosive growth. According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the number of high school female wrestlers has surged from only 804 in 1994 to over 50,000 in 2024, with 45 states now sanctioning high school competition, including Connecticut.
As UB continues to expand its athletic offerings, the new women鈥檚 wrestling program is poised to make an impact on and off the mat. For more information about UB鈥檚 wrestling program or recruitment opportunities, please contact Jim Sheehan, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at jsheehan@bridgeport.edu.