READING, Pa. -- Long-time Kutztown University assistant wrestling coach Kriss Bellanca was announced as the new head coach at Alvernia University on Friday.

Bellanca spent the last 11 seasons with the Golden Bears alongside head coach Robert Fisher, a partnership that produced four national champion wrestlers,18 NCAA Division II All-Americans and 128 dual victories.

Kutztown set a program record for dual victories with 17 in 2009-10 and recorded double-digit dual wins 10 times. Bellanca's influence on the Golden Bears was prevalent again this past season. Kutztown had one of its most successful campaigns with a 14-1 dual record, second-place finish at the Super Region I Championships and a program-best 10th-place showing at the NCAA Division II Championships in Cleveland.

Heavyweight Andrew Dunn Jr. (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic (Virginia Tech)) brought home KU wrestling's fifth all-time individual national championship, while Jeff Reimel (Lansdale, Pa./North Penn) and T.C. Warner (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley (Bloomsburg)) claimed All-America status to give the Maroon and Gold multiple All-Americans for the fifth time in Bellanca's tenure. Kutztown also spent the entire season nationally-ranked in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll.

Bellanca, who wrestled for the Golden Bears from 1997-2001 and was a three-time regional placewinner, inherits a budding Alvernia program that is gearing up for its first season of NCAA competition in 2019-20.

"I am committed to guiding student-athletes toward becoming champions in the classroom, on the wrestling mat, as well as socially and spiritually," Bellanca told AUWolves.com. "It will be an honor to be part of this new journey full of many 'firsts' for Alvernia University wrestling."

Before returning to KU in a coaching capacity, the Reading, Pennsylvania native led the Wyomissing Area High School program for seven years, mentoring 23 state qualifiers and nine state medalists, including a state runner-up in 2008.

Bellanca is the founder and director of the nationally-recognized Steel Mat Club, where he trained a number of Pennsylvania state champions, All-Americans, and national tournament qualifiers.

Bellanca is slated to start his new position with the Golden Wolves immediately.