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Coaches
Chad Hay
Conant Head Varsity Coach (Math Teacher)
Coaching: 17 seasons overall (11 as Head Coach), (Mahomet-Seymour HS Math Teacher/Wrestling Coach - 2002-2006) 113seasons at Conant (10 as Head Coach), 154 dual meet victories, 2 Dual Team State Elite 8 appearances, 8 Regional Championship Teams, 5x Team Conference Champions, 39 individual state qualifiers, 5 IHSA State Placewinners, 1 Freestyle State Champion, 2 MSL West Conference Wrestlers of the Year, 4x MSL West Conference Coach of the Year (2013, 2014, 2015, 2017)
College: NCAA Div. I National Qualifier (2002), 4th in Big Ten (2002); 4 year Letterwinner at the University of Illinois, 2x Midlands Placewinner (1999, 2000); Fighting Illini Spirit Award Recipient (2002), Big Ten Wrestler of the Week Honors (2002); Eric Siebert Most Courageous Award Recipient (1998); Indiana State Powerlifting Champion (2003), Competed in Olympic Weightlifting competitions (2001-2002); University of Illinois Rugby Team Member (2004-06), Starter (2004-06); Coached by 1980- Olympian Mark Johnson and NCAA Champs Jim Heffernan, Steve Marianetti & Adam Tirapelle. 5X Midlands Tournament wrestler: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2018)
High School: 2x IHSA State Champion (1996, 1997), 4th in State (1995), 5th in State Freestyle (1996), 128-15 career record, 50 career pins, 4 year Letterwinner at Sandwich HS, 2x Football Letterwinner (1995-96); Dual Team State Champions (1997), Dual Team State Runner-Up (1996) – Captain both seasons; IWCOA Scholastic Wrestler of the Year (1997), 2x Interstate- 8 Conference Wrestler of the Year (1996, 1997)
Jim Harder
Conant Assistant Coach
Conant Wrestling Strength & Conditioning Coach
Coaching: 6 yrs. as Jr. Cougar Coach, 6 yrs. as Honey Badger Wrestling Coach, 5 yrs. as Conant Assistant Coach; Specializes with the top end of the lineup; coached multiple IHSA state place winners and qualifiers, IKWF state place winners and qualifiers. Developed and implemented the highly successful Strength and Conditioning Program for Conant Wrestling.
College: Wrestled at Purdue University
High School: Wrestled at Leyden H.S.; 4th place at IHSA State Meet (1970), Sectional Champion, 2x Regional Champion
Andrew Guilde
Conant Assistant Coach (English Teacher)
Coaching: 3 yrs. as Assistant Coach at Conant and his third season coaching Jr. Cougars. He has coached two IHSA dual team state championship teams in 2009 and 2010 (both at Montini); 10 IHSA individual state champions and multiple IHSA state place winners and state qualifiers; Coached IKWF, Freestyle and Greco-Roman off-season programs, including numerous All-Americans, state champions, and state place winners.
College: Scholarship Athlete at Missouri Valley College, then transferred and walked on at University of Iowa and coached by Olympian and NCAA Champion Tom Brands.
High School: Wrestled at Bolingbrook High School. Three year varsity starter, 40 tech falls and was named team captain his Junior and Senior year. Placed 5th at folkstyle nationals,
Gus Karapanos
Conant Volunteer Assistant Coach
Coaching: This is Gus's first year as a Conant Volunteer Coach and Jr. Cougar Wrestling Club Coach. Gus coached the Link Elementary School Wrestling Club.
College: Graduated from Loyola University. Currently a Teaching Assistant at Conant High School.
High School: Wrestled at Conant High School - Sectional Qualifier, @ year Varsity Starter, Team Captain, Starter and Key Member on Conant's 2014 IHSA Team State Qualifying Squad.
Brad Bessemer
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Conant Varsity Asst. Coach,
M.S.P.T.- Barrington Orthodics
Coaching: 18 seasons (8 years as Assistant Varsity Coach, 10 years as Head Coach of Jr. Cougars, coached multiple IHSA and IKWF state qualifiers and place winners, assisted in 2 Dual Team Elite Eight Appearances and multiple MSL Conference and IHSA Regional Titles.
Wrestling: 100+ career wins at Conant HS, Regional Champion, MSL Champion, 4x MSL Conference Placewinner, Cadet Freestyle All-American - 5th place (1986), 3x Freestyle State Placewinner; Team Illinois Junior National Team Member (1988), Dual Team Elite 8 (1989), Dual Team state ranked (1988, 1989) – Captain both seasons; Team Illinois Junior National Team Camp “Hardest Worker” Award Recipient (1988)
John Kane
Conant Athletic Director
Coaching: 7 years as Conant Head Coach, 13 years as Conant Assistant Coach, 7 years as Jr. Cougar Coach, Dual Team 4th place State (2003), 15 IHSA State Placewinners, 9 IHSA State Finalists, 5 IHSA State Champions
College: Wrestled at Illinois State University
High School: Wrestled at St. Patrick's H.S.; 3rd in State (1985)
Facilities
Conant Cougar Wrestling Room
Junior Cougars have the opportunity to practice at The Conant High School Wrestling Room. The room is large enough for two full mats, padded walls, pull up bars and a brand new sound system. The room is cleaned daily and often times twice a day by the Conant High School Janitorial Staff and is held to the highest hygiene standards within the state.
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