We discussed:

- WCAP

- Becoming an Olympian

- The trials

- Growing Up in Chicago

- What wrestling has meant to him

- and so much more

2023-24 Season as a true freshman:

Dodgens is currently in his first season as an assistant coach for the Lindsey Wilson men's wrestling program and will transition into the role on April 1. He came to Lindsey Wilson from Brewton-Parker College where he coached both the men's and women's programs. Dodgens led the Brewton-Parker women's program to several milestones, including the program's first dual victory. During the 2022 season, he led the Barons to an 11th-place effort at the NAIA National Tournament with six national qualifiers and three All-Americans. ( Source Lindsey Wilson )

Daryl Thomas, a native of Edwardsville, was named the Associate Head Coach for SIUE wrestling in November 2021.

Thomas returns to Edwardsville after spending last season as an assistant coach at Campbell, where he helped lead the Camels to one of the best seasons in program history. Seven Campbell wrestlers earned spots at the 2021 NCAA Championships in St. Louis.

The Camels also claimed their third straight Southern Conference regular season and tournament championships. The team was ranked as high as 19th nationally by InterMat.
 
Thomas holds significant experience in collegiate wrestling having two seasons as an assistant at Old Dominion. Prior to ODU, Thomas spent one year as the head coach at Lincoln College, leading the Lynx to a fourth-place finish in the NJCAA National Tournament. He was named NJCAA Midwest District Coach of the Year

He also was an assistant coach at Northern Illinois during the 2015 and 2016 season. Five Huskies earned NCAA National Tournament qualifying spots during his tenure.
 
Thomas was part of the Edwardsville High School coaching staff after completing his bachelor’s degree in communications at Illinois in 2013. He helped his alma mater advance four wrestlers to the Illinois state tournament while the Tigers finished the 2014 regular season with a school-record 28-0 dual mark and a Southwestern Conference title.
 
At Illinois, Thomas was a two-time place winner at the Big Ten Championships in 2012 and 2013, finishing sixth each time. He completed his collegiate career with a 53-47 record with six pins. He advanced to the NCAA Championships as a senior and was ranked as high as seventh by WIN Magazine as a senior. He finished third at the 2012 ASICS USA Wrestling University Nationals to earn Freestyle All-American honors.
 
A 2008 graduate of Edwardsville High School, Thomas was a three-time state qualifier with a career record of 111-23. He set records for single-season takedowns (183) and career takedowns (401).
Thomas earned his bachelor's degree from Illinois in communications in the spring of 2013. In 2022, he received his master's degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University.

( Credit SIUE )

Wrestler for South Dade, Student at Miami Arts Studio

South Dade Boys Assustant Coach 2012-2024

14 years coaching

100's of camps across 40 plus states since 2015

7 straight years coaching a Pennsylvania state finalist

Head coach at Northern Oklahoma College

Owner of Power Training Center

Gold Certified Coach w USAW

Former HC in TX and FL

We discussed:

- New program

- JUCO Wrestling

- Why Andrew College

- and so much more