If ever Menlo College women's wrestling could find a worthy replacement for retiring head coach Lee Allen it may have done just that with the hiring of 2008 Olympian Marcie VanDusen as only the second head coach in program history.
"We are extremely fortunate to hire someone of Marcie's caliber to continue the great tradition left behind by Lee Allen," Menlo College Athletic Director Keith Spataro said. "We are pleased to be the first intercollegiate wrestling program to hire a female head coach and, in doing so, set the trend for many others to follow."
VanDusen spent eight years as a member of the U.S. National Team, culminating with a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team and a ninth-place finish at the Beijing Games. During her stretch on the U.S. National Team, VanDusen was a 2004 World University champion and 2008 World Cup gold medalist, and also represented the U.S. as a member of the 2007 World Team. She is a two-time national champion.
While VanDusen's coaching career is at an early stage, she has been just as successful as a leader off the mat as she was a competitor on it. VanDusen currently coaches the California USA Wrestling women's team which she led to a dominant first-place performance at the National Junior Duals in 2009. She also serves as an instructor at Rim of the World Wrestling Club in her native Lake Arrowhead, Calif., as well as a number of clinics across the country.
"It is an honor to be the next head coach of the women's wrestling program at Menlo College," said VanDusen. "Coach Allen has been an amazing leader in the women's wrestling community for a decade, and I am thankful for all the hard work and dedication he put into building the women's wrestling program."
Within USA Wrestling, VanDusen is a proven leader as a member of the Board of Directors. She has also served on the Executive Committee, Women's Sports Committee, and Athletes Advisory Committee. VanDusen graduated from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 2010 with a BA in Geography & Environmental Studies.
