Carl Poff got an early start in wrestling, stepping on the mat in third grade. It just might have been since his father Chris was a high school wrestling coach, who was later inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1979.

Carl graduated from Council Rock High School in 1974. He was the team captain, and won sectional, district and regional titles for Hall of Fame coach Vic Stanley. He also garnered a freestyle state championship while in high school. 

Carl wrestled at Bloomsburg University for another Hall of Fame Coach, Roger Sanders, and was a two-time NCAA qualifier. In 1979, Carl joined the BU staff as an assistant from 1982-1990 and was a highly respected technician. While there, the Huskies won over 100 meets, and placed in the top three in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference every year. He contributed to coaching three-time NCAA champion and National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Ricky Bonomo.

In 1990, Carl was selected as the head wrestling coach at Lock Haven University. He returned Lock Haven University to a powerhouse team and became the winningest wrestling coach in LHU history at 167-62-3. His 2000-01 team went 21-2 and his 1996-97 team finished fifth at the NCAA Division I tournament, the highest finish in school history, with five All-Americans.

Carl’s teams won four PSAC titles and the Eastern Wrestling League championship in 1997. He coached 80 national qualifiers, 14 All-Americans, two national champions, 20 EWL Champions, and 30 PSAC champions. He was PSAC Coach of the Year six times and EWL coach of the Year twice. He is a member of the LHU Athletics Hall of Fame. 

Possibly Carl’s strongest trait was his ability to build relationships with his wrestlers. He not only served as a coach, but more importantly as a mentor and role model. The greatest compliment a student athlete can give is to follow in their coach’s footsteps. Count the number of LHU and Bloomsburg alumni in the wrestling coaching ranks, from high schools and clubs, to the NCAA Division 1 level. Carl’s impact on his athletes is unmatched, which contributes to the ongoing growth of the sport of wrestling, and will be felt for decades to come.

Carl’s is a past executive director of the Lock Haven Foundation and is the owner of TNT Camps.

Carl and his wife Sharon presently live in North Carolina and are the parents of three children Casey, Corey and Tanner.