Wrestling community mourns death of legendary coach Pat Pecora

The day Larry Hohman was headed to college when he was 18, his dad died.

He walked into the office of Pitt-Johnstown wrestling coach Pat Pecora for guidance. Pecora instructed him to go home for a week to be with family, and he would take care of things.

“On that day, coach became my father,” said Hohman, the Penn-Trafford wrestling coach. “He counseled me and made me the man, the father and the teacher I am today.”

Pecora, 70, died late Saturday night after a courageous battle with cancer.

The legendary coach built Pitt-Johnstown into a national power and led them to more victories than any wrestling coach in history. The Mountain Cats won NCAA Division II national titles in 1996 and 1999.

“What didn’t coach teach me?” Hohman said. “He was a father figure to all of us. Everyone who wrestled for him was family. He made us all better men.”

In 48 years as coach, Pecora produced 170 NCAA All-Americans and 15 national champions.

Greensburg native Tyler Reinhart is one of those national champions (2016).

“I’m speechless,” Reinhart said. “He meant everything to me. He took a chance on me and believed in me as a wrestler and a person. It’s tough to lose someone like him.”

Pecora was named National Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year four times and won eight consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles.

“Pat was a great example of all that is good about Division II,” PSAC commissioner Steve Murray said in a statement. “He was the best of us and will be sadly missed by all of the PSAC. We offer our deepest condolences to Pat’s family and the entire UPJ community.”

His record at Pitt-Johnstown is 661-154-5 (.807).

“Coach Pecora was a father figure to countless athletes and truly epitomized the word ‘legend,’ ” Seton Hill wrestling coach Vince DeAugustine said. “Everyone who had the opportunity to be around him came away a better person.

“This is a tough loss for the wrestling community. I send my deepest condolences to the Pecora family and the countless athletes that put on a singlet for him.”

Hohman said the cancer was discovered in June when Pecora had surgery.

He had been in and out of the hospital for the past few months. Hohman said the doctors were encouraged at his progress until the last few weeks.

“He wouldn’t give up,” Hohman said. “He was a battler. When the wrestlers would visit him, we told him, ‘Never let go of the room.’ That’s because that’s would he’d tell us.”

Pecora was inducted into nine halls of fame, including the Pitt-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame.

Pitt-Johnstown president Jem Spectar said in a statement Sunday to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat that the school was mourning “a great coach, teacher, colleague, a titan of a man and a champion of Olympic proportions. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.”

Pecora is survived by his wife, Tracy; children Cristina, Marco, Marina and Nico; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements were pending.