Millersville

In three seasons, Jerry Boland has elevated the Millersville wrestling program to a new level. In year one, Boland led the Marauders to their best-ever PSAC dual finish and its first 10-win dual season in 21 years. In his second season, the Marauders set a program record with five national qualifiers and Devin Flannery became the third wrestler in program history to be a three-time All-American. In 2024-25, Millersville scored its most dual victories since 1992.

Boland, a New Jersey native and Lycoming College alum, came to Millersville after three years of building Davis & Elkins from a start-up program into a national name. 

In 2023-24, the Marauders climbed to as high as No. 11 in the NWCA national rankings. Craig Cook (149), who came from Davis & Elkins with Boland became a four-time national qualifier. A record six Marauders were named All-PSAC at season's end. In 2024-25, Boland produced four All-PSAC performers and two first-time NCAA qualifiers.

Boland's Marauders also excel in the classroom. In his first season, seven student-athletes earned NWCA Scholar All-America honors, and three were named College Sports Communicators Academic All-District. 

A winning coach at every stop, Boland won high school state championships in New Jersey, and in 2018, he took on the challenge of starting the wrestling program at Davis & Elkins. He produced immediate results. In just three competitive seasons at the NCAA Division II level, Boland guided 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. In 2022, Boland's 157-pounder, Noah Tarr, placed fifth to give D&E its first All-American. He also coached a Mountain East Conference champ and the 2022 Mountain East Freshman of the Year. Boland's Senators posted a 16-10 dual record. His teams were just as successful off the mat as 20 of his wrestlers earned NWCA Scholar All-America recognition. 

A four-time state qualifier in New Jersey as a high schooler, Boland starred at Lycoming College and earned induction into the school's athletics hall of fame as a two-time NCAA Division III Championships qualifier, an All-American in 1997, and two-time team captain. He totaled 98 career wins and helped Lycoming to a 22-0 record and national dual championship. 

His winning ways on the mat carried over to his coaching career. Boland's first coaching role was under the tutelage of hall of fame coach Gary Papa at Camden Catholic. As an assistant coach, Boland helped the program win four state titles in five years. Boland took over his own program at Cinnaminson in 2004 and later became the head coach at Camden Catholic in 2008. As a high school head coach, Boland posted a 144-38 dual record with four conference titles, three district titles, and three state championships. A two-time Burlington County Coach of the Year, Boland produced 23 state qualifiers, 12 placewinners and three state champs. Boland was inducted into the South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. 

In 2011, Boland stepped away from high school coaching to become a high school administrator. During his seven years out of coaching, he stayed connected to the sport by serving as a varsity official and USA club certified coach. As an official, he worked worked the state tournament five times. At the time of his hiring at Davis & Elkins, Boland had served 20 years as an educator and administrator. 

In addition to his bachelor's degree in psychology and certification in elementary education from Lycoming (1998), Boland earned a master's degree in educational administration with a 4.0 GPA from Grand Canyon University in 2010. 

Boland and his wife, Michele, have four sons: Gavin, Caden, Brennan and Owen.