St. Joe’s Head Wrestling Coach Pete Kennedy To Step Down

After 22 seasons as head coach of Marauders Wrestling, Pete Kennedy has decided to step down from the position.

In an email to members of the media on Tuesday, March 26th, Kennedy stated that the decision to step down has been considered over the past two years. Kennedy will be taking over the newly created role of Vice President of Admissions Management within the admissions office at St. Joe’s, which was also a factor in the decision to step down from the wrestling helm.

“It has been my distinct honor and pleasure to serve as a coach at St. Joe’s for the past 22 seasons,” wrote Kennedy in an email. “Simply, this new opportunity is too good to pass up and will require my complete attention…the time is right to step aside.”

During his tenure as head coach of the Marauders, Kennedy coached 111 All-Catholic Champions, 129 CHSAA placewinners, 14 CHSAA champions, and 2 federation tournament place winners. His teams won five MMHSAA titles and eight All-Catholic tournament titles. He finishes with 145 career dual meet victories. Kennedy has been a vocal proponent for the sport of wrestling in Western New York and a vanguard for the Msgr. Martin High School Athletic Association, serving as the league’s wrestling chairman since 2012.

“We want to thank Coach Kennedy for his remarkable commitment to our student-athletes and the entire St. Joe’s community,” said Brian Anken, St. Joe’s Director of Athletics. “The success of our wrestling program throughout his tenure is a direct reflection of the positive impact and valuable mentoring he provided for both his student-athletes and staff.”

In his emailed statement, Kennedy thanked his predecessors, athletes, parents, administration, and staff for their support and effort over the years. He added that he does not expect to completely separate from St. Joe’s Wrestling, stating “I intend to stay involved in a role that is less clearly defined…I remain committed to this incredible sport at the finest school in the region.”