Indiana University Athletics
Escobedo Sets Example for Indiana’s Wrestling Future
4/24/2018 1:22:00 PM | Wrestling
Indiana’s eighth head coach wants to bring Indiana back into the Big Ten, national conversation
By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Angel Escobedo understands the Indiana wrestling challenge.
He wouldn't want it any other way.
"It's a great opportunity," IU's new head coach says.
The Big Ten has become the nation's premier college conference with Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa dominating, and Michigan and Nebraska not far behind. A Big Ten team has won 12 straight NCAA titles. Eleven of the 14 conference schools were ranked among the nation's top 22 last season.
Now that he's running the program, Escobedo aims to put the Hoosiers in that conversation.
If you think that won't happen, you don't understand the drive of a guy who won the 125-pound 2008 national title and was a four-time Hoosier All-American.
"You want to try to be in the top half of the Big Ten," he says, "because if you do that, you'll be in contention to win a national title. That's what we want. That's the long-term goal, to get up there and catch the Penn States and the Ohio States.
"It's a great opportunity for our guys to have that goal—to get to the top of the Big Ten. After that, it will take care of itself at nationals."
That's easy to say, hard to do.
So how do you get there?
"It will take a lot of effort and energy," Escobedo says. "I always tell my guys, 'It's all about attitude and effort.'
"That's a prime example for me—my attitude and effort toward this program. They have to see the example. I'm going to be out there recruiting, out there with fans and alumni, just bringing up that energy for IU wrestling."
Passive coaching isn't the answer. Escobedo won't shy away from mixing it up with his wrestlers. At 31, he's young enough, fit enough and driven enough to make his practice-room mark.
To a point.
"I hope that I can be hands on as much as I can. We'll see how my body feels. I would like to wrestle three to four times a week. I know I'll have to scale back because there will be other areas I have to build on, but I just love wrestling. You can't keep me out of it."
Escobedo won 137 matches at IU, second in school history, with three Big Ten titles and that national championship. After college he competed internationally. Highlights included a fifth-place finish at the 2013 World Championships in Hungary and a second-place finish at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
Escobedo also was one of the greatest high school wrestles in Indiana history, compiling a 223-1 record with four state titles for Griffith High School.
His coaching experience includes three years as an Iowa State assistant before becoming IU's associate head coach under Duane Goldman last season.
"One of the outstanding wrestlers that Duane brought to IU was Angel, and we are very excited about the future of Indiana wrestling under his leadership," IU athletic director Fred Glass said in a university release. "As a wrestler, he excelled at the high school, collegiate and international levels. As a coach, he has mentored All-Americans and NCAA qualifiers. Angel is the right person to lead the program into this new, exciting era."
How would Escobedo describe his coaching approach?
"I've been all over the place. I was at Iowa State. I was at Ohio State. I was at the Olympic Training Center. Even though I'm young, I have a lot of experience. I've seen a lot of different backgrounds and coaching styles. It's blending that all together."
Escobedo says he's willing to try new things.
"I'm not a guy who is like, this is the only way it can happen. I know there are a lot of different ways to get to the top. I'm looking forward to helping athletes find that way."
As far as returning to Indiana, Escobedo says, "It was always a dream, but to be the head coach this fast, I didn't think so. I thought it would be down the line.
"It helped to keep the perspective of working hard. I knew this day would come at some point. I was always working towards that goal."
IU returns nearly everyone back from last season, which gives Escobedo confidence the Hoosiers will make a quick impact. So does this fall's opening of a new $17 million wrestling and volleyball facility.
"That's great momentum," he says. "We have a lot of experience. We have a lot of hungry guys going after All-America status, national championship status. With that and the new facility, we're going to be rocking and rolling here soon."
Ultimately it comes down to talent. Escobedo plans on hitting the state of Indiana hard.
The quality of in-state wrestling has risen dramatically in recent years, and Escobedo is determined to make sure some of the best guys wear the Cream 'n Crimson.
"This next year will be really important with the facility, the team that I have, trying to build off of that and show them the momentum will keep going. They can come here and be successful. I'm looking for our guys to compete at a high level."
As far as his reception on the recruiting trail, Escobedo says, "It's been a lot of positive feedback. A lot of people saying they're excited to see what you can do for the program. To hear that from recruits, fans, alumni, it's a blessing."
What will Escobedo look for in a recruit?
"A guy who loves wrestling. A guy who loves to work out. A guy who has great character, a good teammate. I look for all of that.
"I don't just want talented guys. I want guys who are great in all aspects. It's all about brotherhood here. If you're a good teammate, you'll fit here."
Escobedo says the IU head coaching job was always a dream.
"To be the head coach this fast, I didn't think so. I thought it would be down the line. I was always working toward this goal.
"My heart as always been at Indiana. It's great to come back and bring back what I've experiences around the world. I can't thank Fred and Duane enough."
As for re-energizing a program that won the 1932 national championship and produced 12 NCAA champs, Escobedo says, "It's a new era. The history is great, you can't forget about that, but at the same time, look at the new arena, the new coach and new program. It's exciting. Now we can build this legacy in that arena."
IUHoosiers.com
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Angel Escobedo understands the Indiana wrestling challenge.
He wouldn't want it any other way.
"It's a great opportunity," IU's new head coach says.
The Big Ten has become the nation's premier college conference with Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa dominating, and Michigan and Nebraska not far behind. A Big Ten team has won 12 straight NCAA titles. Eleven of the 14 conference schools were ranked among the nation's top 22 last season.
Now that he's running the program, Escobedo aims to put the Hoosiers in that conversation.
If you think that won't happen, you don't understand the drive of a guy who won the 125-pound 2008 national title and was a four-time Hoosier All-American.
"You want to try to be in the top half of the Big Ten," he says, "because if you do that, you'll be in contention to win a national title. That's what we want. That's the long-term goal, to get up there and catch the Penn States and the Ohio States.
"It's a great opportunity for our guys to have that goal—to get to the top of the Big Ten. After that, it will take care of itself at nationals."
That's easy to say, hard to do.
So how do you get there?
"It will take a lot of effort and energy," Escobedo says. "I always tell my guys, 'It's all about attitude and effort.'
"That's a prime example for me—my attitude and effort toward this program. They have to see the example. I'm going to be out there recruiting, out there with fans and alumni, just bringing up that energy for IU wrestling."
Passive coaching isn't the answer. Escobedo won't shy away from mixing it up with his wrestlers. At 31, he's young enough, fit enough and driven enough to make his practice-room mark.
To a point.
"I hope that I can be hands on as much as I can. We'll see how my body feels. I would like to wrestle three to four times a week. I know I'll have to scale back because there will be other areas I have to build on, but I just love wrestling. You can't keep me out of it."
Escobedo won 137 matches at IU, second in school history, with three Big Ten titles and that national championship. After college he competed internationally. Highlights included a fifth-place finish at the 2013 World Championships in Hungary and a second-place finish at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto.
Escobedo also was one of the greatest high school wrestles in Indiana history, compiling a 223-1 record with four state titles for Griffith High School.
His coaching experience includes three years as an Iowa State assistant before becoming IU's associate head coach under Duane Goldman last season.
"One of the outstanding wrestlers that Duane brought to IU was Angel, and we are very excited about the future of Indiana wrestling under his leadership," IU athletic director Fred Glass said in a university release. "As a wrestler, he excelled at the high school, collegiate and international levels. As a coach, he has mentored All-Americans and NCAA qualifiers. Angel is the right person to lead the program into this new, exciting era."
How would Escobedo describe his coaching approach?
"I've been all over the place. I was at Iowa State. I was at Ohio State. I was at the Olympic Training Center. Even though I'm young, I have a lot of experience. I've seen a lot of different backgrounds and coaching styles. It's blending that all together."
Escobedo says he's willing to try new things.
"I'm not a guy who is like, this is the only way it can happen. I know there are a lot of different ways to get to the top. I'm looking forward to helping athletes find that way."
As far as returning to Indiana, Escobedo says, "It was always a dream, but to be the head coach this fast, I didn't think so. I thought it would be down the line.
"It helped to keep the perspective of working hard. I knew this day would come at some point. I was always working towards that goal."
IU returns nearly everyone back from last season, which gives Escobedo confidence the Hoosiers will make a quick impact. So does this fall's opening of a new $17 million wrestling and volleyball facility.
"That's great momentum," he says. "We have a lot of experience. We have a lot of hungry guys going after All-America status, national championship status. With that and the new facility, we're going to be rocking and rolling here soon."
Ultimately it comes down to talent. Escobedo plans on hitting the state of Indiana hard.
The quality of in-state wrestling has risen dramatically in recent years, and Escobedo is determined to make sure some of the best guys wear the Cream 'n Crimson.
"This next year will be really important with the facility, the team that I have, trying to build off of that and show them the momentum will keep going. They can come here and be successful. I'm looking for our guys to compete at a high level."
As far as his reception on the recruiting trail, Escobedo says, "It's been a lot of positive feedback. A lot of people saying they're excited to see what you can do for the program. To hear that from recruits, fans, alumni, it's a blessing."
What will Escobedo look for in a recruit?
"A guy who loves wrestling. A guy who loves to work out. A guy who has great character, a good teammate. I look for all of that.
"I don't just want talented guys. I want guys who are great in all aspects. It's all about brotherhood here. If you're a good teammate, you'll fit here."
Escobedo says the IU head coaching job was always a dream.
"To be the head coach this fast, I didn't think so. I thought it would be down the line. I was always working toward this goal.
"My heart as always been at Indiana. It's great to come back and bring back what I've experiences around the world. I can't thank Fred and Duane enough."
As for re-energizing a program that won the 1932 national championship and produced 12 NCAA champs, Escobedo says, "It's a new era. The history is great, you can't forget about that, but at the same time, look at the new arena, the new coach and new program. It's exciting. Now we can build this legacy in that arena."
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