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Coaches

Mike Harris

Mike Harris is the head coach of Gladiators Wrestling. Coach Harris has over 25 years of competitive wrestling and coaching experience and owned his own successful wrestling club for 17 years prior to taking the leadership role at Gladiators.

Mike wrestled for Livingston High School where he was a two-time NJ State Place Winner, 2x Region Champ, and 2-time Freestyle State Placer.

Collegiately, Mike was a starter at both 133 and 141 pounds at Rider University (Division I) and was ranked as high as 10th in the nation. Unfortunately, Mike was not able to make a run his Senior year at a National Champions due to injury.

After college, Coach Harris wrestled at the senior level wrestling against some of the best talent in the world. Mike also trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and International wrestling styles and qualified for No-Gi Worlds. He retired officially from competition at the age of 35.

Mike was an original advocate for women’s wrestling. He served on the USAW/NJ Board as Director for Women’s Wrestling and Team NJ national coach where he volunteered 10 years. Mike continues to promote the growth of women’s wrestling programs. He was also the Coach of the New Jersey boys and girls National Teams.

Coach Harris believes deeply that it is a privilege to be able to coach the young boys and girls and passing on knowledge to aspiring champions of our sport is one of the greatest gifts of life.

Mike is married and has two young daughters.

Roy Dragon III

Roy Dragon is a highly trained elementary school physical education teacher in Basking Ridge and is extraordinarily qualified to run and manage the K-6th wrestling program at Gladiators Wrestling. Coach Dragon is also, the Head Wrestling Coach for Ridge High School in Basking Ridge. Roy is also known as the finest wrestlers to ever compete for Bridgewater Raritan High School. Coach Dragon, a two-time High School All American, had an overall wrestling record of 148 – 12 while at Bridgewater.

During his time at Bridgewater, Roy dominated his opponents Pinning over 75% of the challengers he faced. When his high school career was over, Roy not only set the school record for Pins with 111 but was 2nd all-time in the state of NJ for pins and in the top 5 in total wins. He finished his career as a 3-time New Jersey State Place Winner.

Roy was highly recruited out of high school and chose to wrestle for the Monarchs of Old Dominion University (Division I). While wrestling for Old Dominion Roy was voted onto the Colonial Athletic Conference All Freshman Team and was a two-year starter. Injuries ended Roy’s Wrestling career early.

After college Roy Dragon has coached at numerous wrestling clubs and was the Head Coach at Hillsborough High School, an assistant Varsity Coach for AL Johnson High School and Northern Valley Demarest. Coach Dragon is also a New Jersey Varsity Wrestling Official.

Roy is married and has a daughter.

Greg Hart

Greg Hart is known as the wrestlers wrestler. . . tough as nails, fast as lightning and very highly skilled. Greg hails from Bernardsville and attended Bernards High School where he earned four varsity letters in wrestling, was a two-year wrestling captain and racked up an amazing record of 116-24. Greg’s other wrestling accomplishments include being a 2 time county and district champion, 3 time state qualifier and he wrestled his way onto the podium in Atlantic City finishing third in the New Jersey State Finals in 2006. Greg also earned three varsity letters for the Mountaineers in football, two in track and one in lacrosse.

Coach Hart was recruited to wrestle for Bucknell University (Division I) and was an immediate starter for the Bison’s at the 125 pound weight class. Greg wrestled impressively for Bucknell before chronic injures forced his retirement by the start of his junior year. Some of Coach Hart’s collegiate career highlights included his dramatic pin against Ryan Fitzgerald that drove Bucknell to a 21-21 tie against Harvard; his two major decisions and a pin against Alex Usztics in the Navy Classic and his 9-1 major decision over Jake Bucha of Lehigh.

Since Bucknell, Greg built an impressive career in corporate recruiting and eventually returned to Bernardsville where he currently lives with his new bride.

Greg is married and has a daughter.

Brandon Spellman

Brandon Spellman is one of the best wrestlers to ever wrestle for The Pingry School. While at Pingry, Coach Spellman had a record of 116 (54 Pins, 8 Technical Falls, 8 Majors Decisions) and 25 losses. Dino, as his family and friends call him, was a 4-time Somerset County finalist and 2-time Champion (Voted Outstanding Wrestler), 4-time District Finalist and 2-time Champion, 4-time Region Qualifier taking 2nd and 3rd, Champion of Pandy Leh, Bob Dougherty and Hunterdon Central Tournaments, 2018 NJSIAA State Championships Top 12 Finish and 2019 NJSIAA State Championships Place Winner. Brandon was also selected twice for the Courier News All-Wrestling Team.

Coach Spellman currently wrestles for Princeton University (Division I) and will compete for the starting spot at the 133 pound weight class this season. Last season Brandon wrestled as a member of the New Jersey Olympic Regional Training Center and participated in 9 College Open Tournaments. He went 19-16 on the season. Dino took his lumps early in the season but as the season progressed he turned it on taking 6th at Edinboro by beating both 2 Time Ohio State Champion and Iron Man Champion Jacob Decatur and 3 Time Ohio State Champion Tommy Hoskins. He also took 6th at Wilkes defeating 2 Time NY State Champion Mathew Schreiber and he earned a 2nd place finish at the Centenary Open. He finished the season by placing 4th at the NCAA National Collegiate Open which carries with it All-American honors.

Devon Capato

Devon Capato is the winningest wrestler to ever come out of Ridge High School post 129 victories. Coach Capato was a 4-time Somerset County finalist, 4-time District Finalist, 4-time Region Qualifier taking 3rd, 2020 NJSIAA State Championships Top 16 Finish.

Coach Capato is starting his Freshman season at American University (Division I) where he will challenge for a spot at the 141 pound weight class for the Eagles.