Joe Patrovich
Head Coach

Phone: 3577
Email: joseph.patrovich@liu.edu

Joe Patrovich completed his fifth season at the helm of the reinstated LIU Post wrestling program in 2018-19.

During his tenure with the Pioneers, Patrovich has produced four All-Americans 16 regional place winners, seven NCAA qualifiers, and 25 Academic All-Honors recipients. During the 2018-19 season, Patrovich’s squad ranked second in Division II with a team grade-point average of 3.4283.

During the 2018-19 season, Joe Calderone became the second three-time All-American in program history with a seventh-place finish at the National Championship. Calderone opened the year ranked No. 1 in the country at the 141-pound weight class and earned his 100th career victory at the Virginia Duals. Nine Pioneers earned Academic All-Honors on the season, leading the program to the second-best team GPA for the season.

In 2016-17, freshman Anthony Sparacio placed sixth in the 133-pound bracket at the 2017 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. His finish secured him a nod as an All-American, making him the second Pioneer wrestler (Joe Calderone) to receive the honor since the program returned in 2014.

Over the past 27 years, Patrovich has shown that he is one of New York State's most elite coaches. He has mentored 94 league champions and county place-winners, 30 state qualifiers, 27 state place-winners, 25 county champions, 15 state finalists, eight state champions and 10 All-Americans. 

In addition, Patrovich has captured 11 league crowns, two county team championships and two state team titles. During his decorated high school coaching career, Patrovich coached at four schools (Plainview JFK, Division Avenue, East Meadow and Islip), compiling a scintillating 309-86-2 record.

His success has not gone unnoticed. Patrovich has been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2012), the New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame. 

Additionally, his three sons (Joe, Mike and Ryan) reached the senior high school wrestling national finals, making him the only father in the country whose children accomplished such a feat.

Outside the wrestling mat, Patrovich has patrolled the sidelines of the gridiron as a football coach. For the past 32 years, he has compiled a 153-120-4 record at three different schools. Some of his accomplishments include 13 playoff appearances, 11 league titles, five county titles and two Rutgers Cups.

Patrovich is the only football coach in Long Island history to win both Suffolk and Nassau County titles, and take three different teams (Division Avenue, Islip and Hauppauge) to the county finals.

Patrovich resides in Bohemia, N.Y. with his wife, Kathy.
 
 



 

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