Wrestling head coach Don Henry spent 39 years with Gannon. Here's why he's retiring now.

The architect behind Gannon wrestling has called it a career.

Don Henry announced Wednesday that he will retire after 39 years as head coach of the Golden Knights, his tenure set to officially end June 30. A mainstay in Gannon’s corner since revitalizing a lost program, Henry will give way to longtime assistant Tom Boyd, who the university named its next head wrestling coach Thursday.

Gannon’s fortunes have steadily improved since Henry, 62, was hired in 1984, with some of its most successful seasons coming in the last decade. A mix of factors, he said, made this year an ideal time to step away.

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“I’ve really accomplished everything I wanted to do as a coach,” Henry said. “I know (Boyd) has been itching to take over and we’ve had conversations to prepare him over the last year or so.”

Boyd’s readiness, the departure of Gannon’s three most recent All-Americans and Henry’s engagement to his fiance, Mindy — whom he is set to marry Sept. 1 — each factored into his decision.

“We are so grateful to (Henry) for his leadership both as a coach and a leader within our department," said Lisa Goddard McGuirk, Gannon's director of athletics, in a release announcing Henry's retirement. "During his tenure, he has developed our program into a national power. Don has kept the student-athlete experience at the forefront throughout his career, serving as a coach, mentor and our student-athletes' biggest fan.”

Boyd, 53, has been Don Henry's assistant since 1995 after he wrestled for the Golden Knights and was an All-American in 1991. Boyd officially starts his head coaching position July 1.

Building a national power

Gannon didn’t win a single dual meet in 1984-85.

The Knights, after all, hadn’t fielded a wrestling team since 1971. They struggled through Henry’s early years, but after coaching his first All-American in 1988 and completing his first winning season in 1990-91, their fortunes began to turn.

The 2000s saw Henry’s Knights morph into what they are today, producing 14 All-Americans in the decade, including Doug Joseph’s 2001 national championship at 197 pounds. Since 2007, Gannon is 119-59 in dual meets, bringing Henry’s career dual record to 233-231-3.

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The winning formula and recruiting, he said, has changed constantly since he started.

“That was pre-computer, so all the letters were written by hand, and I didn’t have very good handwriting,” Henry said. “I was making phone calls and trying to attract the attention of local people, but the product we had wasn’t a big sell. As we got better, recruiting got a little easier.”

Henry’s initial lineups were filled by anyone he could find. Things started to get serious in the mid-90s, and before long, Henry recognized the need for a philosophy change.

“The guys were very sociable and liked to go out on weekends, and that lack of dedication and discipline cost them matches,” Henry said. “OK, we’re changing now. If you want to wrestle, you need to stop your partying and your drinking and start taking wrestling seriously. Guys wanted to be great, they just needed someone to guide them on that path rather than just teach them how to wrestle.”

Earning respect

Henry hasn’t wrestled live much over the past decade.

In his early days, however, his on-mat prowess earn the respect of his athletes. A two-time national qualifier and three-time PSAC medal-winner at Slippery Rock University, Henry had the pedigree and simply needed to prove it.

“I earned their respect as a wrestler, and then they would listen to me as a coach,” Henry said. “(Now) it’s more of teaching by using the athletes to show what I want. I already had the respect, so all I had to do was figure out ways to teach.”

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Leaving a legacy

Henry was a 2014 Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee and a 2016 inductee of the Slippery Rock University Athletics Hall of Fame. He will be eligible for the Gannon University Athletics Hall of Fame next year.

Henry said he plans on attending all of the team’s local competitions and remaining a supportive voice. He also looks forward to playing plenty of handball at the campus recreation center with former water polo coach and university administrator Don Sherman.

“We’re losing four big guns, but those guys had backups who were only a step behind. You don’t know their name yet, but next year, you will,” Henry said. “We're going to continue to do what we do and expect excellence both in the classroom and on the mat. I’ll be their biggest fan and we’ll continue on that route to success.”

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Contact Jeff Uveino at juveino@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @realjuveino.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Don Henry to retire after nearly four decades with Gannon wrestling