Scott Stever
December 22, 1947 - March 25, 2023
Scott Stever has spent roughly half of his 37 coaching years as one of those indispensable assistant coaches whose contributions sometimes go without the recognition due them.
For eighteen years, 1970 to 1988, Scott was assistant coach of the program at the University of Buffalo, his alma mater. His contributions to the UB program, and to the young men he coached, are best understood by an examination of the record put together in those years.
Scott assembled an impressive record as a wrestler, himself, during his high school and college years. His overall record is 185-13, with eight of those losses incurred as a high school freshman. He won a total of 20 postseason individual championships. Twice he was a qualifier for the NJCAAs when wrestling for Coming Community College and, while wrestling at UB, he twice qualified for the NCAAs.
From 1970 to 1988, the University of Buffalo teams compiled a dual meet record of 191-87-3. The 1973-74 team's record in dual meets was 22-1-0. Scott's contributions to these teams, and to the skills of many outstanding individual wrestlers, is readily acknowledged by all familiar with the program. Scott coached 33 All Americans at UB. Eleven of his wrestlers became two-time All Americans. He coached two national champions: Tom Accouter (also named OW) and Steve Klein.
The 1978 team won the National Championship.
Ninety of his wrestlers won tournament championships. He coached 17 teams that were ranked in the NCAA Top 20 of either Division I or Division III. His teams won seven NYS Championships in the short period from 1971 to 1978. They were RIT Invitational Champions in 1978 and SUNY Champs in 1987.
In the meantime, Scott was building a career outside of wrestling. He is now the technical sales manager for North America for Ankom Technologies.
From 1988 to 1995, Scott continued to contribute to collegiate wrestling as a volunteer assistant coach at Rochester Institute of Technology. He continued these volunteer coaching efforts back at the University of Buffalo from 1995 to 1999. From 1999 until today Scott has been the Head Coach of the R.I.T. program, where his teams have included three two-time All Americans and a three-time All American.
Scott is the co-author, with Ed Michael, of Winning Leg Wrestling.
He has also brought his teaching skills to numerous clinics in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, such as the Niagara Frontier Clinic, the R.I.T. Clinic, the Blue Ridge Mountain Camp, and many others.
Scott has also offered his coaching talents in the international arena. In 1975 he worked with the Polish National Team, in 1977 with the Iranian Junior World Team, and in 1979 with the African Continent National Team. Anyone who has been involved in international competition appreciates the work required and the plethora of skills needed that go beyond coaching.
Many of Scott's wrestlers have become successful coaches and officials. A very incomplete sampling would include such names as John Kopalek, Tom Jacoutot, Ashley Grillo, John Stutzman and Tony Policare. Scott has been honored by inductions into the NJCAA Region III Hall of Fame, the Coming-Painted Post Hall of Fame, the University of Buffalo Hall of Fame, and the New York State Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. Scott and Cynthia Stever were blessed with four daughters: April, Amy, Emily and Christen.
Scott fully deserves his induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the New York Chapter of the Hall is most pleased to be able to bestow him this honor.
Awards:
Year
2007
|
Award
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
|
Chapter/Region
New York - Upstate
|
All Coaching Dual Records:
Season
2011
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
17
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
12
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
29.41
|
Season
2010
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
17
|
Wins
1
|
Losses
16
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
5.88
|
Season
2009
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
11
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
38.89
|
Season
2008
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
3
|
Losses
15
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
16.67
|
Season
2007
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
15
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
13
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
13.33
|
Season
2006
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
18
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
11
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
38.89
|
Season
2005
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
21
|
Wins
7
|
Losses
14
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
33.33
|
Season
2004
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
11
|
Wins
3
|
Losses
8
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
27.27
|
Season
2003
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
12
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
9
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
16.67
|
Season
2002
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
19
|
Wins
5
|
Losses
14
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
26.32
|
Season
2001
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
14
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
12
|
Ties
0
|
Win PCT.
14.29
|
Season
2000
|
School
RIT
|
Division
Division III
|
Duals
8
|
Wins
2
|
Losses
5
|
Ties
1
|
Win PCT.
25
|
Season
Career
|
Duals
188
|
Wins
46
|
Losses
140
|
Ties
2
|
Win PCT.
24.47
|