Coming off its most successful season in team history, the Cal State Fullerton wrestling team’s coaching staff has added legendary California wrestler Mark Munoz, bringing expectations higher than ever.  Munoz – a two-time All-American from the legendary Oklahoma State wrestling program, former national champion, and two-time California state champion – will join Head Coach Dan Hicks this season to continue the Titans’ potential climb to the top of the Pac-10.  “He’s just a tremendous coach. A great personality,” Hicks said. “It’s nice to have another guy in the room who the kids can look at and say ‘oh that’s what a national champ looks like.’”

Hicks is a former two-time national champion himself.

Along with fellow assistant coaches Risto Martinen and George Porter, Munoz is excited to bring his experience and technique to an already powerful Fullerton lineup.  “We have a tough team, a lot of tough guys, (and) a lot of them are just on the brink of being really, really successful,” Munoz said. “I can show them that little bit of technique that they’ve been looking for. I love coaching and I love to develop anyone that I can put my hands on.”

In addition to being an extremely successful wrestler, Munoz, who had spent the previous five seasons coaching with UC Davis, also has a great deal of understanding of what it takes to be a success, both in and out of the wrestling room.

“The experience helps because they know (Munoz) made it, so they listen to him,” Hicks said. “What also helps is that he’s just a great person; high morals, integrity, he’s all about getting your degree and being a good teammate.”

Munoz said the experience he’s gained through the ranks will help coaching at CSUF.

“Being from Oklahoma State, I was able to learn a lot about coaching (and) being an athlete as well,” Munoz said. “It can be so demanding on our bodies and so demanding on time that we have to prioritize, so having experience with that, it’s priceless”

Munoz is also starting up a mixed martial arts career and currently holds a perfect 4-0 record in World Extreme Cagefighting. Now as a part-time assistant coach with the Titans, Munoz will be able to sharpen both his grappling and coaching skills by working with some of California’s toughest wrestlers on a regular basis.

“He’s probably one of the best upper-weight coaches in the nation, so for us upper-weights it’s just awesome,” said Tim Hawkins, a redshirt junior who transferred to CSUF last season. “When you watch the guys in the room wrestling live, you can see moves he just showed us last week already being incorporated into everyone’s game plan, and it’s a big step for the team.”

The Titans are coming off their most successful season ever, according to Hicks, who saw them claim their first ever Pac 10-dual championship. The team looks to continue their climb through the ranks of Div. I wrestling and are eying their first ever Pac-10 championship.

Despite the unfortunate loss of heavyweight Wade Sauer, who had to retire due to a neck injury, Hicks has high expectations from his stacked line-up, particularly in his five returning seniors; T.J. Dillashaw, Teddy Astorga, Devin Velasquez, Ryan Budd and Nick Blackshaw.

“As long as everyone’s going hard we’re just going to get better, and that’s our philosophy. We go in there, we give it 100 percent, get in and get out,” Blackshaw said.

With a strong crew of wrestlers who share a common goal of winning the Pac-10 championship, and a strong new presence in the room with Munoz, the Titans are ready for what should be one exciting season.

“A lot of stuff’s got to come together,” Hicks said. “We need to have a great showing, but we can do that.”