Shannyn Gillespie

Head Women’s Freestyle Wrestling Coach
E-mail:  sgillesp@nmu.edu
Telephone:  906-227-1285
At USOEC since 2004

Shannyn Gillespie grew up in Evanston, Ill.  He started wrestling in high school, winning the state championship in 1984.  Following high school, he attended Lock Haven University where he earned NCAA All-America honors in 1993.  He left the university after completing a degree in health and physical education, and trained from 1997-99 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Gillespie began his coaching career at California University in 1994.  He moved on to Northern Illinois University two years later.  In 1997, he took a position at Northwestern University.  Gillespie also coached at the club level from 2002-2004. 

Since arriving at the U.S. Olympic Education Center in 2004, Coach Shannyn, a Bronze-Level certified coach in USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program, has guided athletes to Junior World gold medals, a Pan American gold medal, and national championship gold medals. He has also coached four Outstanding Wrestlers at USA Wrestling national championships.

In addition Coach Shannyn has had tremendous success as an international mentor. In 2007, he was the first USA women's freestyle coach to bring a collegiate team to Japan's famed Chukyo Women’s University (home of twenty women’s world champions, two Olympic champions, & one Olympic Silver medalist) for a training camp and cultural exchange.

As coach of the 2006 World University Championships team (Mongolia), he coached 2 bronze medalists. As coach of the 2005 Junior World Championships team (Lithuania), he coached 1 world champion and 3 silver medalists.

Prior to being named program coordinator of the USOEC USA Wrestling women’s freestyle resident athlete program, Coach Shannyn coached at the club level from 2002-2004 in Illinois. While chasing his Olympic dream and wrestling for the Wildcat Wrestling Club, in 1997, he took a position at Northwestern University as a volunteer coach. Coach Shannyn began his coaching career at California University of Pennsylvania and Northern Illinois University from 1994-1996.

Coach Shannyn grew up in Evanston, Ill and culminated his athletic career by training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. from 1997-1999. Prior to the USOTC, Coach Shannyn earned All America honors by winning 3rd place at the celebrated NCAA D-I tournament for Lock Haven University in 1993. He started wrestling in high school, winning the Illinois state championship in 1989.

As an athlete, Coach Shannyn is member of Eastern Wrestling League Hall of Fame, the Lock Haven University Hall of Fame, and the Evanston Township High School Hall of Fame. Coach Shannyn, who won Greco-Roman and freestyle state titles in Illinois, also won freestyle silver medals at USA Wrestling’s prestigious University Nationals and Jr. Nationals.

Coach Shannyn and his wife, Emily, have two children Jazmyn & Kayla. He enjoys reading and writing in his spare time.