The new role as inaugural head coach of the PennWest Edinboro women's wrestling team is more than a job for Ryan Cook—it's a homecoming. A 1998 Edinboro graduate and wrestling alum, Coach Cook spent 21 years leading the wrestling program at General McLean High School, just a few miles from campus. This deep connection to the community and the university is a source of immense pride. “My story is maybe a little different, maybe a little longer than some of these... other coaches, but that comes back to... the pride that I had in the time of what Edinboro University, PennWest Edinboro meant to me back in the day,” he shares.

As a high school coach, he found his greatest joy in seeing his athletes succeed, a feeling that "far outweighed anything I've ever done" as a wrestler himself. A recent highlight was coaching the high school women’s wrestling program at General McLean, an experience that ignited a "whole different passion for women's athletics." He recalls the excitement of seeing brand new athletes fall in love with the sport, leading to three state qualifiers and a state medalist.

This experience gave him a new purpose. "The process of starting a program and seeing these young ladies fall in love with the sport... was something I haven't been part of before," he explains. "That's something that made me want to take this to the next level." Now, he's channeling that passion into building the Fighting Scots women’s wrestling team from the ground up.

His advice to incoming students is rooted in practicality and the importance of relationships. He tells students to "show up early and communicate" with their coaches and professors and to "find the leaders, not the losers" among their teammates. He recognizes that student-athletes have unique needs and that an environment of open communication and strong leadership is essential for success. For the inaugural season, he is focused on a lot of recruiting and balancing training and competition, as the immense interest from the class of 2026 suggests a bright future for the program.

Coach Cook’s return to PennWest Edinboro is a powerful example of the university's ability to foster lifelong connections and a sense of belonging. He is not only an alum coming home but a trailblazer, building a new program that will provide empowerment and new opportunities for future generations of PennWest student-athletes.