BHS PIRATES WRESTLING STAFF
HEAD COACH- Jeremy Baker [email protected]
Coach Baker has been apart of the Belton Wrestling Program since 2016. Coach Baker has worked with the Missouri USA Wrestling Cadet and Jr National teams since 2005 in a variety of rolls including head coach of Jr Dual teams and planning and running the National Teams training camps. Coach Baker spent 7 years as an assistant coach for Blue Springs High School on teams that finished in the top 5 in state every year and won 2 team state titles. Coach Baker was a 3-year letter winner for the University of Nebraska wrestling program. In high school Coach Baker was a state runner up on a team that won a state title.
VARSITY ASSISTANTS
CODY NEWMAN [email protected]
Coach Newman has been coaching wrestling at Belton since 2009. Previously he coached the middle school for two years and high school for four years. Cody has been involved in wrestling, wrestling or coaching, since the age of four. Coach Newman is a graduate of Ray-Pec High School where he enjoyed an extremely successful wrestling career, medaling in all 4 years of high school; as a freshman he took fourth (145 lbs), sophomore he took third (160 lbs), junior he took third (171 lbs), and his senior year he was the 171 lbs state champion. He went on to attend University of St. Mary where he was an All-American baseball player and in 2012 was inducted into the University of St. Mary Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Wrestling is a great discipline sport that will make any athlete physically and mentally stronger."
TYLER EPSTEIN [email protected]
Coach Epstein has been on the Belton wrestling staff since 2014. Tyler was a very accomplished wrestler in high school attending Farmington Senior High School in Farmington Missouri. Finishing 4th at the state tournament as a junior and was a state champion as a senior. He was also named KTJJ Dream Team wrestler of the year as a senior. Tyler went on to play college football at University of Northern Iowa and graduated from Lindenwood University as a standout middle linebacker. Tyler is also a varsity coach for the Belton football and track teams.
JOE BIONDO
Coach Biondo is a 2018 Belton High school graduate. Joe was a 2 sport athlete while at BHS, wrestling and baseball. He was a 2x 1st Team All-Conference selection. Joe was a 2x state medalist, 6th in 2017 and a State Champion in 2018 where he was 52-3. Joe won 132 matches in his career as a 4 year varsity letter winner for the pirates.
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES
Head Coach- Brad Hughes [email protected]
Coach Brad Hughes is entering his sixth season as a wrestling coach. This is his first season with Belton, acting as both the head middle school and assistant high school coach. Hughes is a 2006 graduate of Knob Noster High School and wrestled under Missouri Wrestling Association Hall of Fame Coach, Ray Stockdale. Coach Hughes earned a 4th place finish at the Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships in the '04-05 season at the 189 weight class during his junior year. After graduating from Knob Noster, Coach Hughes participated in both football and wrestling at the collegiate level for the Northwestern College Red Raiders of Orange City, IA. During his career as a Red Raider, Coach Hughes was a two time National Qualifier in the heavy weight division, team captain and a member of the 2008 NAIA Champion of Character wrestling team. He received GPAC Honorable Mention All-Conference Honors in the '08 football season as well. Coach Hughes completed his undergraduate work in 2011 and began his coaching career as an assistant wrestling coach for the University of Central Missouri Mules while completing his Master's Degree.
ASSISTANT COACH - JARED SMITH
Coach Jared Smith will join our wrestling program and help coach in our MS program. Coach Smith has several years of experience coaching wrestling at the varsity level. He is also the Head Soccer coach here at BHS.
Coach Baker has been apart of the Belton Wrestling Program since 2016. Coach Baker has worked with the Missouri USA Wrestling Cadet and Jr National teams since 2005 in a variety of rolls including head coach of Jr Dual teams and planning and running the National Teams training camps. Coach Baker spent 7 years as an assistant coach for Blue Springs High School on teams that finished in the top 5 in state every year and won 2 team state titles. Coach Baker was a 3-year letter winner for the University of Nebraska wrestling program. In high school Coach Baker was a state runner up on a team that won a state title.
VARSITY ASSISTANTS
CODY NEWMAN [email protected]
Coach Newman has been coaching wrestling at Belton since 2009. Previously he coached the middle school for two years and high school for four years. Cody has been involved in wrestling, wrestling or coaching, since the age of four. Coach Newman is a graduate of Ray-Pec High School where he enjoyed an extremely successful wrestling career, medaling in all 4 years of high school; as a freshman he took fourth (145 lbs), sophomore he took third (160 lbs), junior he took third (171 lbs), and his senior year he was the 171 lbs state champion. He went on to attend University of St. Mary where he was an All-American baseball player and in 2012 was inducted into the University of St. Mary Athletics Hall of Fame.
"Wrestling is a great discipline sport that will make any athlete physically and mentally stronger."
TYLER EPSTEIN [email protected]
Coach Epstein has been on the Belton wrestling staff since 2014. Tyler was a very accomplished wrestler in high school attending Farmington Senior High School in Farmington Missouri. Finishing 4th at the state tournament as a junior and was a state champion as a senior. He was also named KTJJ Dream Team wrestler of the year as a senior. Tyler went on to play college football at University of Northern Iowa and graduated from Lindenwood University as a standout middle linebacker. Tyler is also a varsity coach for the Belton football and track teams.
JOE BIONDO
Coach Biondo is a 2018 Belton High school graduate. Joe was a 2 sport athlete while at BHS, wrestling and baseball. He was a 2x 1st Team All-Conference selection. Joe was a 2x state medalist, 6th in 2017 and a State Champion in 2018 where he was 52-3. Joe won 132 matches in his career as a 4 year varsity letter winner for the pirates.
MIDDLE SCHOOL COACHES
Head Coach- Brad Hughes [email protected]
Coach Brad Hughes is entering his sixth season as a wrestling coach. This is his first season with Belton, acting as both the head middle school and assistant high school coach. Hughes is a 2006 graduate of Knob Noster High School and wrestled under Missouri Wrestling Association Hall of Fame Coach, Ray Stockdale. Coach Hughes earned a 4th place finish at the Missouri State High School Wrestling Championships in the '04-05 season at the 189 weight class during his junior year. After graduating from Knob Noster, Coach Hughes participated in both football and wrestling at the collegiate level for the Northwestern College Red Raiders of Orange City, IA. During his career as a Red Raider, Coach Hughes was a two time National Qualifier in the heavy weight division, team captain and a member of the 2008 NAIA Champion of Character wrestling team. He received GPAC Honorable Mention All-Conference Honors in the '08 football season as well. Coach Hughes completed his undergraduate work in 2011 and began his coaching career as an assistant wrestling coach for the University of Central Missouri Mules while completing his Master's Degree.
ASSISTANT COACH - JARED SMITH
Coach Jared Smith will join our wrestling program and help coach in our MS program. Coach Smith has several years of experience coaching wrestling at the varsity level. He is also the Head Soccer coach here at BHS.