SUNY Niagara has announced the death of a wrestling legend.
The school’s first wrestling coach, Eric Knuutila, died in his sleep between Thursday and Friday while with the team at the NJCAA championships in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He was 79.
Originally from Ithaca, Knuutila attended Corning Community College and transferred to the University at Buffalo. In 1973, he was named the first coach of SUNY Niagara’s wrestling program, a position he held until 2011.
Knuutila coached 37 NJCAA All-Americans, 107 Region III individual champions and 17 Region III team championships, amassing a 382-200-8 record. He also produced four of the school’s six national champions — Willie Moore (1977), Mark Jurek (1989), Dan Uhteg (1991) and Rashad Evans (2000).
He has been active in local youth wrestling organizations and high school wrestling, including being an original member of the Western New York Wrestling Coaches Association. Since retiring as SUNY Niagara’s head coach, Knuutila has stayed involved as an assistant coach and historian.
Knuutila has been inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports, National Wrestling, SUNY Niagara, Region III, New York State Collegiate and NJCAA Halls of Fame.
Knuutila was also a coach for the SUNY Niagara golf team for 16 seasons, helping them finish sixth nationally in 2006.
“Coach K built our wrestling program 53 years ago as our head coach and remained a proud assistant coach, historian and overall supporter of the team,” SUNY Niagara athletic director Bob McKeown said in a statement. “Eric has had a tremendous impact on the entire college, the wrestling program, the golf program and all of us. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eric’s family, friends, and colleagues.”