Texas Rio Grande Valley Athletics

Nate Shearer is in his 13th season as the head wrestling coach at Washington and Lee after taking over the program for the 2011-12 season. 

Under Shearer, the Generals have claimed three conference tournament championship titles in addition to being named co-champions of the ODAC's regular season in the return of Old Dominion Athletic Conference wrestling in 2022-23. W&L claimed three individual titles to kick-off the sport sponsorship.

Since his arrival, W&L has improved in regional postseason finishes at the regional championships with 13 NCAA national qualifiers and six All-American selections. 

The 2019-20 season featured a program-record 16 wins (16-5) and an NWCA National ranking midway through the season and produces three NCAA qualifiers in Shane Conners '20, Rexx Hallyburton '20 and Ryan Luth '23.

Shearer guided W&L to a 12-4 overall record in 2018-19, when the Generals appeared in the NWCA Division III rankings for the first time in program history.  At the time, W&L set records for the best finish at both the Centennial Conference Championship (2nd) and the NCAA Southeast Regional (6th).

In 2016-17, Joe Scott '20 became W&L's first-ever regional champion when he won the 165-pound weight class at the NCAA East Regional.  He and Bylykbashi both qualified for the NCAA National Championship, the most W&L had qualified in 30 years.

Shearer helped steer Ron Tassoni '16 to the 2014 Centennial Conference title at 174-pounds, W&L's first conference title winner since 2001.  Tassoni went on to place third at the NCAA East Regional in 2016, earning the Generals' first NCAA Championship berth in 15 years.  Tassoni was also voted the Pres Brown Most Valuable Senior Male Athlete at W&L, the first time a stand alone wrestler has ever received the award.

In 2015, Tassoni and Evan Kueffner '18 both placed third at the Centennial Conference Championships, with Tassoni setting a then W&L record for wins in a season (29-9) and takedowns in a season (95).  Lewis and Matt Kaminer '18 both earned Scholar All-America honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Under Shearer's leadership, W&L has earned the NWCA Team Academic Award nine times, while 66 wrestlers have received NWCA Scholar All-America honors including a program-best 11 following the 2019-20 season.

W&L ACCOMPLISHMENTS (83-101, 32-34 Conference)

• ODAC Coach of the Year (2022-23)
• ODAC Tournament Champions (2022-23)
• ODAC Regular Season Co-Champions (2022-23)
• 27x All-Conference Selections
• Two Centennial Conference Champions (2019-20, 2021-22)
• 13 NCAA Qualifiers
• Six All-American Selections
• Two Scholar-Athletes of the Year
• Five All-American Selections
• Two ODAC Wrestler of the Year Selections
• Nine All-ODAC Selections
• 66 NWCA Scholar All-Americans

AWARDS, HONORS & CERTIFICATIONS

• ODAC Coach of the Year (2022-23)
• NCAA Regional Coach of the Year (2022-23)
• NWCA Board of Directors (2012)
• National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Rookie Coach of the Year Award (2011)
• NWCA Leadership Academy (2010)

COACHING RESUME

• Washington and Lee (2011-12 to present)
• Heidelberg University (2010-11) 
  • National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Rookie Coach of the Year Award (2011)
  • Second-place finish in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championships
  • Seven NCAA qualifiers
  • 12 NWCA Scholar All-Americans
  • NWCA Team Scholar Award; 15th in Division III in Team GPA
  • One All-American
  • Assistant Coach 2009-2010
• Ohio Northern (2005-08) 
  • Six Scholar All-Americans
  • 14 NCAA qualifiers.
• Ada, Ohio Youth Wrestling Program (2005-06)

WRESTLING CAREER (Ohio Northern)

• Four-year letterwinner
• 2002 OAC Regular Season Championship
• NCAA Division III Championship qualifier
• ranked 11th all-time at ONU
  • 89-44 overall record