Rider names Nic Bedelyon head coach as Hangey moves to AD role
Bedelyon takes over the Broncs after four seasons as associate head coach.
Rider has named Nic Bedelyon its head wrestling coach for the 2026-27 season, the program announced, with John Hangey moving up to Deputy Athletic Director at the university. Bedelyon has been on staff at Rider for 14 years, the last four as associate head coach. Doug Umbehauer and Tyler Klinsky stay on as assistants.
He knows exactly what it takes to continue building our program with grit, purpose, and a true Bronc mentality.
The NWCA also ran the news of Hangey's move to Deputy Athletic Director. WrestleStat noted what Hangey leaves behind, pointing out that Rider has produced an NCAA All-American in each of the last four seasons and calling that "an incredible accomplishment for the program."
Rider has produced an NCAA All-American in each of the last four seasons
An internal hire
Rider framed the promotion as continuity rather than a reset.
"He knows exactly what it takes to continue building our program with grit, purpose, and a true Bronc mentality," the program said in its announcement.
Pat Mineo of The Wrestling Room called it "A natural transition for a program that has had tremendous consistency and success at the NCAA tournament under Hangey." Zebulin Miller marked the hire with a one-word post, #DisIsNic.
A natural transition for a program that has had tremendous consistency and success at the NCAA tournament under Hangey.
No other staff changes have been announced, and neither Rider nor the NWCA post detailed what Hangey's new administrative duties will involve or whether he keeps any role with the wrestling program.
Our take: keeping the full assistant staff intact is the tell here. Rider is not asking Bedelyon to rebuild anything, it is asking him to keep the All-American streak going with the same people in the room.
What to watch: whether Bedelyon makes any additions to the staff before the season, and how Rider's lineup shakes out in his first year running it.