DiSalvo leaves CMU wrestling program to pursue business option
The Central Michigan wrestling team will be without a big piece of its coaching staff this season as it said goodbye to assistant coach Mark DiSalvo Friday.
DiSalvo’s decision to leave came after he was given an opportunity to pursue a future much different than collegiate coaching.
“I’m on to new challenges and a new industry in business sales and marketing,” DiSalvo said. “Bandit Industries is one of the biggest manufacturers of wood chippers in the world and it’s 13 miles down M20 toward Remus, so I’ll stay local.”
Leaving the collegiate wrestling scene for the business world isn’t a completely new chance for the Dayton, Ohio native.
Upon graduating from CMU, DiSalvo earned a coaching position at Cornell University in 2006. After one season, he left coaching to pursue a career in sales and marketing for eight months until a coaching job opened up at his Alma Mater.
“I had left wrestling once before to get into sales and this opportunity came along,” he said. “Obviously this is a more difficult decision this time because I’m very invested in this program and had a big part of recruiting these guys on roster.”
DiSalvo was a two-time All-American and two-time Mid-American Conference champion at 149 pounds during his time as a wrestler at CMU.
He earned his bachelors degree in sports studies and master’s degree in sports administration and expects the abilities he picked up at CMU to help him in his future endeavors.
Head coach Tom Borrelli agrees that his assistant coach is ready for this big step.
“He’s very business-oriented and very good with organization and office work,” he said. “He meant a whole lot to our program, not only as an athlete, but as an assistant coach and his efforts will be missed.”
Borrelli coached DiSalvo and has worked with him for four years as a coaching staff, though his staff will be down a man this season.
“Right now we’ll just shift responsibility around and get through the season with what we have in place,” Borrelli said. “In the spring, when the season is over, we’ll advertise the position and pick the best candidate for the job.”
Though DiSalvo is no longer a part of the wrestling program at CMU, he plans to stick around and support the Chippewas.
“I’m staying local, which is exciting,” DiSalvo said. “My wife and I love living in this community. I’ll be at all the home dual-meets and I’ll be the biggest CMU wrestling fan you’ll ever meet.”
The Chippewas look to win their 11th straight MAC Tournament championship this season with three wrestlers coming in ranked number one in their weight classes.
