Malvern Prep’s boys wrestling team has turned into a national powerhouse thanks to its dedicated head coach Nate Lautar and the culture that drives them, writes J.F. Pirro for the Main Line Today.
Ahead of the 2024-25 schedule, the team was ranked between No. 15 and No. 23 in the country based on various preseason polls. Their highest achievement was reaching No. 1 nationally in 2021.
They have won numerous tournaments over the last several years, including the 2024 Escape the Rock.
The Friars usually hit three major national tournaments, including the Ironman in Ohio, Powerade in Canonsburg, and Beast of the East at the University of Delaware.
Since Lautar took over coaching, more than 30 wrestlers have joined top Division I programs such as Penn State, Ohio State, North Carolina, Stanford, Cornell, Brown, and Northwestern.
Locally, the team won a dozen consecutive Inter-Ac League championships. In 2023, the Friars won their first-ever Pennsylvania Independent Schools Wrestling Tournament.
In fact the team has been on such a roll, that some teams have already started canceling their dual meets.
“We’ve gotten so good, people are weird about it,” said Lautar.
Read more about Malvern Prep’s boys wrestling team in the Main Line Today.
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