Andy Vogel wrapped up his 13th year as the head coach of the Gettysburg wrestling program and the athletic department’s compliance officer in 2019-20. Vogel was promoted to assistant athletic director in the summer of 2012.
In his first 13 seasons at the helm of the wrestling program, Vogel has coached three All-Americans, 10 national qualifiers, eight Centennial Conference champions, two conference Most Outstanding Performers, and 44 conference place-winners.
Gettysburg sent a representative to the NCAA Division III Championship for the fourth consecutive season in 2018-19. Since the start of the DIII NCAA Regional format in 2013, Vogel has produced 18 regional place winners.
In 2018-19, the Bullets experienced its first national notice under Vogel by securing a spot in the first regular season National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Ranking (Ranked #22, 11/14/2018). The ranking was a result of the team locking down two consecutive team tournament championships in back to back weekends at the Messiah and Gettysburg Invitational – a feat not accomplished by the program in over four decades.
The 2018-19 season marked the second year in a row with six grapplers placing at the conference meet and Paul Triandafilou ’19 secured his third consecutive title at heavyweight. Triandafilou was the second wrestler under Vogel’s tenure to earn the Chris Clifford Award for the most career points at the CC Championship, becoming the first Bullet to earn that distinction since Andrew Goldstein '09 in 2009.
In 2017-18, the Bullets won 10 matches for the second year in a row, which was a first for the program in almost two decades.
In 2016-17, the team finished third at the Centennial Conference Championship for the second year in a row and followed up with an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Division III East Regional. Gettysburg also turned in an impressive second-place showing at the Messiah Petrofes Invitational. Six Bullets placed at the conference meet, while five earned top-six status at the regional event. Gettysburg also recorded its first 10-win season in dual competition in 17 years.
Vogel has produced a national qualifier in eight of his 13 seasons, including two-time qualifiers Triandafilou, Colin Kowalksi '19, Zach Thomson ’15, and Andrew Goldstein ’09. Goldstein achieved All-American status with an eighth-place showing in 2008, while Thomson gained national recognition with a third-place finish in 2013, marking the best finish by a Bullet grappler since 1997. As a freshman, Triandafilou placed fifth at heavyweight to become the first Bullet to gain All-America status at that weight class.
Vogel has coached six of the seven Gettysburg wrestlers to reach 100 career wins in Triandafilou (121-20), Matt Shank ’08 (114-26), Kowalski (109-25), Colin Devlin '20 (106-37), Matt Spano ’14 (102-58), and Goldstein (100-19). In his first year at the helm in 2007-08, Vogel coached both Shank and Goldstein to individual conference championships and appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Prior to Gettysburg, Vogel served as an assistant coach at Wheaton (Ill.) College. He was involved in planning practices and conditioning sessions for the Thunder’s NCAA Division III wrestling program. He was also involved in the recruiting process and handled administrative duties.
Vogel, a 2003 graduate of Messiah, was a three-time All-American at 149 lbs., finishing as the NCAA Division III national runner-up in 2001 and earning seventh-place in 2002 and 2003. A three-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Champion, he posted a school-record 157 wins over his tenure with the Falcons and was named both the school’s Senior Athlete of the Year and the Senior Male Sportsmanship Award recipient.
An outstanding student, Vogel graduated from Messiah with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He was a member of Messiah’s Honors Program and was tabbed Academic All-District First Team in his final season. In addition, Vogel was named the MAC Winter Male Scholar Athlete of the Year and received a postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA in 2003.
Recently, Vogel was voted as a member of the Middle Athletic Conference 100 Century Team, which recognized some of the top student-athletes to compete in the conference over the last 100 years. He was also inducted into Messiah's Hall of Honor in 2015.
Aside from his collegiate activities, Vogel has been active in the wrestling community for many years, including founding a website completely devoted to NCAA Division III wrestling (www.d3wrestle.com). In 2015, d3wreste.com was named Website of the Year by the National Wrestling Media Association.
He has served as a teacher and instructor at various wrestling camps at his undergraduate alma mater as well as the Ken Chertow Gold Medal Training Camp. He is a USA Wrestling Bronze Certified coach and in 2010 he was selected to take part in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Coaching Leadership Academy.
Vogel completed his master’s in Sports Leadership at Northeastern University.
Career Highlights
- 13th season as Head Coach at Gettysburg.
- Coached three All-Americans.
- Ten national qualifiers.
- 19 NWCA Scholar All-Americans.
- Eight Centennial Conference champions.
- 44 conference place winners.
- Guided Bullets to first regular season National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Ranking (Ranked #22, 11/14/2018).
- Led team to two consecutive team tournament championship in back to back weekends at the Messiah and Gettysburg Invitational – A feat not accomplished in over four decades.
- Since the start of the DIII NCAA Regional format in 2013, Vogel has produced 18 regional place winners.
- Coached Centennial Conference Chris Clifford Award Winners, Paul Triandafilou’19 and Andrew Goldstein ’09 – award for most career points in the CC Championship.
- Vogel has now guided six out of the top seven wins leader in Bullets wrestling history.
- 81 dual meet wins in first 13 seasons.
- Coached current single-season win record holder and All-American Zach Thomson (41 wins).
- Coached current single-season pin record holder, Lenny Ogozalek ’18 (19 pins)
- Three-time All-American at 149 lbs at Messiah College (2nd 2001; 7th 2002 and 2003).
- Three-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Champion.
- Posted second most wins (157 wins) over his tenure with the Falcons.
- Named Messiah College’s Senior Athlete of the Year in 2003.
- Inducted into Messiah College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.
- Founded www.d3wrestle.com - In 2015, d3wreste.com was named Website of the Year by the National Wrestling Media Association.
