Howdy & aloha! We are HERE, you are THERE, and you’re now rockin’ with the best!This episode goes belly to belly 🤼‍♂️ with Coach Ryan LeBlanc, the 8th Head Coach in Binghamton University Wrestling history, fresh off building The Citadel into a SoCon power and now bringing that blueprint back home to Upstate New York. We talk real D1 program-building — not a press conference, not coach-speak — a full ABR deep dive on:

• what LeBlanc learned turning The Citadel around (COVID roster chaos → conference champs)
  
  
• how he’s implementing culture + systems at Binghamton (EIWA)
  
  
• scholarship growth, staff support, and what’s different at a high-academic public university
  
  
• Northeast vs. South wrestling culture, club wrestling, and what he looks for in recruits
  
  
• how he navigates the transfer portal (and when it’s actually a “slam dunk”)
  
  
• leadership lessons, daily gratitude rituals, and the “Final Four” lifestyle segment
  
  

If you’re a wrestler, parent, coach, or fan who wants the behind-the-scenes of building a Division I program the right way — this one’s for you.✅ Subscribe on YouTube + follow us on IG: @aireybrosradio
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🏃 Fueled by Black Sheep Endurance Coaching: blacksheependurance.comABR 422 Show Notes (with timestamps)Episode: ABR 422
Guest: Coach Ryan LeBlanc — Head Wrestling Coach, Binghamton University (EIWA)
Originally streamed live: Nov 25, 2025 (YouTube)
Now available: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and everywhere you get podcastsTimestamps0:00 — ABR open: “Howdy & aloha…” + Value-for-Value mission
1:03 — Coach LeBlanc intro: Citadel rebuild → Binghamton hire
2:05 — Where to follow Binghamton Wrestling + Bearcat Wrestling Club
3:15 — Why Binghamton was one of the few jobs he’d leave for (family + timing)
4:10 — “Hero’s journey” coming home to Upstate NY
5:06 — How close is home now? Family, balance, Thanksgiving feels
6:43 — Lessons from The Citadel that transfer to Binghamton: culture + consistency
8:47 — Taking over an existing roster: maximizing what’s there + making changes
10:01 — Proof of concept: development happens in the room first
11:21 — Resources differences: scholarship increase, recruiting footprint, full staff
13:07 — Hired Sept 11: tough transition + building relationships fast
14:35 — Early season lineup questions, injuries, and December dual targets
15:51 — Staying healthy: training year-round + wrestling style + smart decisions
18:43 — Storytime: Jeff Boyd + individualized athlete approach
19:35 — Leadership tip: building relationships with a new team/program
21:28 — “Oil and water” athlete → captain: the Ethan Willis story
24:08 — Head coach as CEO: systems, decision-making, delegation
26:24 — Geography shift: travel, snowstorms, routines, and rebuilding systems
27:40 — Binghamton academics: student body, selectivity, majors, and fit
29:00 — Recruiting footprint: NY base + pulling nationally (FL, NC, etc.)
31:37 — Northeast vs. South wrestling culture + club wrestling impact
35:54 — Recruiting philosophy: right people > hype; avoiding “spoon-fed” types
36:06 — Early recruiting results: “5-for-5” visit weekend + momentum
37:46 — Scholarship clarification: 40 added across the department (not just wrestling)
39:25 — Jersey pipeline: upcoming NJ visits + roster notes
40:09 — Why Florida can be a strategic recruiting state (no D1 programs)
41:18 — Winter weather + why leaving home for college is healthy
43:25 — Team “ecosystem” synergy: mixing personalities + experiences
44:03 — Learning campus fast: assistants as Binghamton alums + authenticity
45:07 — Becoming the boss of returning staff: leadership + trust
47:44 — National Duals thoughts + watching as a coach vs. as a fan
51:01 — Transfer portal philosophy: “Don’t love it… but not above it”
53:51 — Final Four: coffee order, daily rituals, planning habits
56:12 — What he’s listening to: audiobooks, Wayne Dyer, stress/manifesting
1:00:33 — Thanksgiving traditions, food, and family cooking
1:02:29 — Upstate NY essentials: pizza + regional food spots
1:04:13 — Closing: Bearcats love + ABR upcoming episodes

💬 QUESTION: If you’re a recruit… what matters most to you right now: culture, scholarships, academics, or location?

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