Northampton boys head wrestling coach Joe Provini pulled double duty and shepherded the girls program through its inaugural season. This year, the girls will have their own set of coaches as Joe Tocci takes the reins.

Tocci, a longtime coach who has spent the last two years at the helm of the Northampton junior high program, described his approach to coaching girls wrestling for the first time, “We’re pretty much doing the same practices that we did with the boys just a little less intense. It’s been awesome. I think this is the most excited I’ve been coaching in all of the years I’ve been doing it. It’s kind of revitalized me. The last two years in the junior high after COVID, I was trying to build that program back up. We really did it the first year and then in year two we really took off. It’s kind of sad leaving them, but this has been great.”

There are 9 returnees from the trailblazing 2023-2024 squad among the 24 athletes on this year’s team. Mylea Lambert, a district champion, regional runner-up, and state fourth-place finisher, returns for her senior season with an eye on claiming a state title.

Dani Glaser returns after being a regional qualifier in her first season of wrestling.

Lillianna Brader, Gabby Chevere, Emilee Gaughran, Jaida Onyango, Allison Rounsaville, Taylor Sipel, and Eliza Wendling are all back for their second years of competition.

It’s clear that Tocci is committed to growing the program at Northampton. He explained, “We didn’t get great numbers for junior high. I spoke at both schools. I was in the cafeteria with a mic trying to be like a cheerleader. We set up at every football game. For the youth, I think there’s 14 in the novice program. That was kind of cool to see.”

“We have a very young team. (4 seniors, 5 juniors, 9 sophomores, and 6 freshmen). My sophomore class is very talented. Some I’m really pumped to work with them this year, next year and the following year. I think they’re going to be studs,” he concluded.