Kutztown University Athletics

Ecker helped lead the Bombers to back-to-back ECWC Championships and a 28-7 dual match record over the past two seasons, in addition to a pair of top-15 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Ithaca captured a NCAA Regional title during his tenure, taking first in 2016 before a runner up finish in 2017.

Under Ecker’s guidance, Ithaca produced six NCAA Championship qualifiers in back-to-back seasons, with a total of five Bomber wrestlers earning six All-American awards.

The first two-time NCAA Division III national champion in Ithaca College program history, Ecker brings high-level experience on the mat and in the coaching ranks to the Golden Bears.

Ecker, a Pottsville, Pennsylvania, native, spent two seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, before taking on a similar roll at Division I Maryland for the 2017-18 season. Ithaca produced six DIII All-Americans and a national finalist during his two seasons on staff, and he worked with the Terrapins' first NCAA DI All-American and Academic All-American in four years.

Ecker would be named the first coach in Alvernia University history in the summer of 2018 and was tasked with building and recruiting the first class of wrestlers ahead of the program's inaugural season.

Ecker capped his collegiate wrestling career with a 133-pound national championship for the Bombers in 2011-12. Seeded first at the NCAA Championships, he raced through the bracket, pinning his semifinal opponent and recording an 8-0 major decision in the title bout --the only national champion to hold his opponent scoreless.

Ecker finished his senior season with a 30-4 record, while posting a career record of 108-20, good for ninth on Ithaca’s all-time wins list. He was named Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference (ECWC) Wrestler of the Year, becoming the first two-time winner of that award and won Ithaca’s Ben Light Award as the top male athlete in his senior class.

Ecker's athletic accomplishments were mirrored by his academic accolades. He was named a CoSIDA First-Team Academic All-American for the second year in a row and was voted the 2012 Men's At-Large Academic All-American of the Year –an award comprised of candidates from the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, skiing, swimming & diving, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling nationwide. Ecker was named to the ECWC All-Academic Team and was also honored as a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar-Athlete. He was named to the Empire 8 Presidents’ List following the fall semester and spring semesters.

Ecker is a 2012 graduate of Ithaca and received his degree in business administration.

Updated 1/13/20