ANGOLA, Ind. – Trine University Assistant Vice President for Athletics Matt Land has named Amy Hildebrandt as the inaugural head coach of the Thunder women's wrestling team.

"Amy is a great asset to Trine University and the sport of women's wrestling," said Land, "She is determined to grow women's wrestling. Her lifelong passion will serve Trine University well as we develop our program."

Hildebrandt has served as the coach of the Penn High School girl's wrestling team for the past two years. While there she has led the team to two state championship titles while coaching four individual state champions.

The team can trace its roots to Hildebrandt's time at Penn as a student when she was instrumental in starting the first Penn Girl's Wrestling Club which later became the full-fledged team when the IHSGW began sponsoring the sport statewide.

"I am honored to be Trine University's first women's wrestling coach." said Hildebrandt, "Women's wrestling has always been my passion and I am excited to be a part of the sport's growth. I look forward to introducing the Trine community to women's wrestling and leading a new group of young women at the University."

Hildebrandt has also served as coach of the Penn Wrestling Club for the past two years. The club works with elementary and middle school-aged athletes on the fundamentals of wrestling. For the past two years, she has also served as an assistant wrestling technician at the University of Michigan Women's Wrestling Camp.

Currently, Hildebrandt is stationed at the United States Olympic Training in Colorado Springs, Colo. where she assisting her sister in preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Trine University announced in January that it would begin sponsoring women's wrestling for the 2020-21 season. They will become the first NCAA institution to sponsor the sport in Indiana.