TEMPE – Todd Ford has been named ASU Wrestling Director of Operations, head coach Zeke Jones announced this week.
"We're excited about adding Todd to our staff," Coach Jones said, "He's been a Arizona wrestling leader for many years and has a tremendous amount of knowledge in our sport. We look forward to his expertise and advice while leading the operations of our program."
Ford returns to college wrestling after most recently serving as the head wrestling coach for local high school, Desert Vista from 1995 to 2006. During a 12-year period, he found success at the state tournament each year, earning a state runner-up finish in 2002 and top-five finishes in five of the nine years as a varsity program. Ford totaled nine team tournament championships during his tenure, including three regional titles and three runner-up finishes. He also went on to coach four individual state champs and 35 state placers.
"I'm excited to be a part of the program," Ford said. "ASU being a national power, I have followed wrestling for a long time so it is exciting to be a part of a good group of coaches and great athletes."
The 1984 and 1986 graduate of Northern State University (South Dakota) earned his bachelor's of science while also completing his master's degree. During his six year stay at NSU, Ford competed collegiately for the NSU wrestling program from 1981 to 1984, where he was a three-time NAIA National Qualifier and assistant coach in 1984-85, where he helped lead NSU to a third place team finish in the NAIA national tournament.
Ford left a lasting mark during his stay at NSU, as this year he was inducted into the NSU Hall of Fame and honored as the 2019 Kretchman Coaching Award winner.
Following his tenure at NSU, Ford moved south to Arizona in the Fall of 1986, where he began building high school wrestling programs in the Grand Canyon State. In that time, he also established Arizona USA Wrestling into a notable national and international program.
From 1986 to 1988, Ford started a new wrestling program from scratch at Arizona's Maricopa High School, finding success right away in year one with one state champion. A four-year stint (1988-1992) at Tempe high school followed, as Ford coached two state champions and two top-10 team finishes.
"I am probably going to be the oldest director of operations, but wrestling has been something that I have done since I was 10 years old," Ford stated. "Going through coaching and not coaching and really all aspects of wrestling, I feel like I have done it all. Now going back to the college level, where it all started is very exciting."
He joins the No. 4 ranked Sun Devil Wrestling team (5-0) in the midst of a run at a national championship, as two-time National Champion Zahid Valencia and returning All-Americans Josh Shields and Tanner Hall look to make one final run in the Maroon and Gold.
"We're excited about adding Todd to our staff," Coach Jones said, "He's been a Arizona wrestling leader for many years and has a tremendous amount of knowledge in our sport. We look forward to his expertise and advice while leading the operations of our program."
Ford returns to college wrestling after most recently serving as the head wrestling coach for local high school, Desert Vista from 1995 to 2006. During a 12-year period, he found success at the state tournament each year, earning a state runner-up finish in 2002 and top-five finishes in five of the nine years as a varsity program. Ford totaled nine team tournament championships during his tenure, including three regional titles and three runner-up finishes. He also went on to coach four individual state champs and 35 state placers.
"I'm excited to be a part of the program," Ford said. "ASU being a national power, I have followed wrestling for a long time so it is exciting to be a part of a good group of coaches and great athletes."
The 1984 and 1986 graduate of Northern State University (South Dakota) earned his bachelor's of science while also completing his master's degree. During his six year stay at NSU, Ford competed collegiately for the NSU wrestling program from 1981 to 1984, where he was a three-time NAIA National Qualifier and assistant coach in 1984-85, where he helped lead NSU to a third place team finish in the NAIA national tournament.
Ford left a lasting mark during his stay at NSU, as this year he was inducted into the NSU Hall of Fame and honored as the 2019 Kretchman Coaching Award winner.
Following his tenure at NSU, Ford moved south to Arizona in the Fall of 1986, where he began building high school wrestling programs in the Grand Canyon State. In that time, he also established Arizona USA Wrestling into a notable national and international program.
From 1986 to 1988, Ford started a new wrestling program from scratch at Arizona's Maricopa High School, finding success right away in year one with one state champion. A four-year stint (1988-1992) at Tempe high school followed, as Ford coached two state champions and two top-10 team finishes.
"I am probably going to be the oldest director of operations, but wrestling has been something that I have done since I was 10 years old," Ford stated. "Going through coaching and not coaching and really all aspects of wrestling, I feel like I have done it all. Now going back to the college level, where it all started is very exciting."
He joins the No. 4 ranked Sun Devil Wrestling team (5-0) in the midst of a run at a national championship, as two-time National Champion Zahid Valencia and returning All-Americans Josh Shields and Tanner Hall look to make one final run in the Maroon and Gold.