By Princeton Sports Information

One of the most accomplished wrestlers in Princeton history will be staying with the program, looking to mentor others to follow in his success.

Quincy Monday, a three-time All-American and one of four wrestlers in program history with two top-three NCAA Championships finishes, will join the Princeton wrestling program as an assistant coach ahead of the 2022-23 season, head coach Chris Ayres has announced.

"As a captain, Quincy was one of the best leaders I have ever worked with, so having him continue his leadership as a coach is going to have a huge impact on the program," Ayres said. "Additionally, because Quincy was an undergraduate at Princeton, he will be able to relate to the team in a more impactful way, because he has gone through the Princeton experience."

Monday made an impact in Princeton wrestling history that few have made. In 2022, Monday and teammate and classmate Patrick Glory '23 were Princeton's first NCAA finalists in 20 years and marked the first time in program history that Princeton had two finalists at the same NCAAs. After finishing runner-up in 2022, Monday was again a high placewinner as a senior, rebounding from a semifinal loss to win each of his last two matches to finish third. Monday made those two placewinning finishes at two different weights, first at 157 and then at 165 as a senior.

"I'm excited to bring to the staff a perspective of someone who just finished wrestling as a Princeton student," Monday said. "I feel that this can allow me to relate to the needs of our wrestlers. During my time on the team, I was able to lead, but I could only offer so much guidance to others as I was focused on my own competition. In this new role, I'm excited to take a bigger charge in providing guidance and support to our wrestlers, while still actively competing on the senior level."

Monday's first All-American finish came in 2020, when he was seeded fifth at the NCAA Championships before the event was canceled due to the onset of the pandemic. Monday was among those named first-team All-Americans by the NWCA in lieu of an NCAA Championships finish determining the honor.

The three All-American honors make Monday just the third wrestler in program history to earn at least three, alongside Glory and former teammate Matthew Kolodzik '21. Glory, Monday, John Orr '85 and Bradley Glass '53 are the four Tigers to have two top-three NCAA finishes.

Monday also made a major impact away from competition, helping to found Princeton's Black Student-Athlete Collective, serving as a mentor as part of the Princeton Wrestling Club's initiative with Trenton Youth Wrestling. His efforts on- and off-campus and with the program earned Monday, a two-year team captain, the inaugural Chris Sailer Leadership Award at the Princeton Varsity Club banquet to cap his senior year.

As he did on the mat, Monday has a familial guide to adding a coaching role to a successful wrestling career. Monday's father, Kenny, a 1988 Olympic gold medalist, has continued his coaching career by reviving the wrestling program at Morgan State, which is set to compete for the first time since 1997 when it takes the mat for the 2023-24 season.

Monday graduated in June with his degree in anthropology. Along the way, Monday was a two-time Academic All-Ivy honoree, earned the EIWA Academic Award three times, and was a four-time NWCA Scholar All-American.