Mr. Mark Cody

Education Background

B.S., Bellevue University

About Mr. Cody

Mark Cody, formerly head coach at the University of Oklahoma, is in his first season at Presbyterian College as Director of Wrestling after being hired in December of 2017.

Cody led the Sooners to four top-13 finishes, including a 10th place finish in 2014.  Under his leadership, the Sooners produced 10 All-Americans, and three national finalists, including two National Champions, Kendric Maple (2013), and Cody Brewer (2015).

Cody was also instrumental in developing wrestlers off the mat and in fostering an OU Wrestling presence in the community. His student-athletes earned a total of 13 National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-America honors, and OU’s six Academic All-Americans during the 2013-14 school year were most in the nation. He also instituted an anti-bullying campaign in 2015 in which his wrestlers and staff routinely spoke to students at area elementary schools.

Cody came to Oklahoma after nine years at American, where he led the Eagles to a program-best fifth-place finish at the 2011 NCAA Championships. The team produced three All-Americans after qualifying six for the tournament, while also posting a school record 3.48 grade point average.

Cody took over the American program after it had been dropped and then resurrected with just 4.5 scholarships available for seven wrestlers. In 2005, the Eagles broke through with their first national qualifiers. The team went on to post top-25 team finishes in the NCAA Tournament from 2006-2011. In 2008, American added wrestling as only its third fully-funded sport.

His tenure at American included the school’s first national champion, 14 All-Americans and 16 NCAA qualifiers (all since 2005) and 21 academic All-Americans.  His American teams were strong in the classroom as well, earning the highest GPA in Division I wrestling in 2008 and 2009, while finishing second in 2010.

Cody came to American after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. He helped OSU to a Big 12 Championship and a fifth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships. In addition, the squad earned recognition from the NWCA as a top-25 academic team, and two were named Academic All-America by the NWCA. Nine were also named to the Academic All-Big 12 team.

Before joining Oklahoma State, Cody served as the upper-weights coach for 12 years at the Nebraska. During that time, he was responsible for bringing in some of the nation’s top recruiting classes, including national champions Tolly Thompson (Hwt.) and Brad Vering (197). Vering later became a two-time Olympian with Cody in his corner.

While Cody was at Nebraska, 23 Cornhuskers were named All-America, including Rulon Gardner, who later captured the heavyweight gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Cody spent the 1986-87 season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. He was also an assistant at Bloomsburg University during the 1985-86 season and for the University of Missouri in 1984-85.

From Binghamton, N.Y., Cody was a three-time All-American as a wrestler in college. He spent two years at the State University of New York at Delhi before transferring to Missouri in 1983. His greatest success came during his senior season of 1984-85 when he earned All-America status and was named the team’s most outstanding wrestler. He graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business.

A member of the New York Athletic Club, he was a 198-pound finalist at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials.

A native of Binghamton, N.Y., Cody and his wife, Holly, have four sons, George, Charlie, Henry and Norman.

The Cody File

Hometown………. Binghamton, N.Y.

College……………. Bellevue University, 1985

Family…………….. wife Holly, sons George, Charlie, Henry, and Norman

Coaching History

2011-2016……….. Oklahoma Head Coach

2002-2011……….. American Head Coach

2000-2002……….. Oklahoma State Assistant Coach

1988-2000……….. Nebraska Assistant Coach

1986-1987……….. Oklahoma State Assistant Coach

1985-1986……….. Bloomsburg Assistant Coach

1984-1985……….. Missouri Assistant Coach

Coaching Accomplishments

– 2011 NWCA National Wrestling Coach of the Year

– Led American to a fifth-place finish at NCAAs in 2011

– His 2011 team also posted a school-record 3.48 GPA

– Produced 22 All-Americans since 2005

– 32 of his wrestlers earned All-Academic team honors

Quotes regarding Cody’s hire:

“I had the opportunity to work with Mark Cody at American University in the early years of my career and have seen first-hand his ability to build programs and champions not only on the mat, but off the mat as well.  I have the utmost confidence that his coaching philosophy and system will replicate these results at Presbyterian College.”

  – Patrick Popolizio, North Carolina State

“I am extremely excited that a new Division I wrestling program is beginning at Presbyterian College in South Carolina and Mark Cody has been chosen as the program’s leader.  Throughout a distinguished coaching career, Mark has proven to be an outstanding mentor and coach to young student-athletes.  His experience will serve Presbyterian College and it’s athletes well as they begin this new journey.”

– Tom Borelli, Central Michigan University

“Mark Cody is an outstanding coach, but even more importantly he is a truly compassionate and empathic leader. Presbyterian College could not have made a finer hire.”

– Robert Koll, Cornell University