Wrestling
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- wrestling@umich.edu
Sean Bormet is in his eighth season as head coach of the University of Michigan wrestling program in 2025-26. He was named the 10th head coach in the history of the Michigan wrestling program on March 27, 2018, after spending seven years as the Wolverines' top assistant, including four as associate head coach.
Named both the Big Ten and NWCA National Coach of the Year in 2022, Bormet has guided the Wolverines' to a 63-22 dual-meet record over his seven seasons at the helm, including a 38-18 mark in Big Ten duals, and boasted four top-five finishes at the NCAA Championships (2019, '21, '22, '24). U-M has claimed two NCAA champions in Nick Suriano (125 pounds, 2022) and Mason Parris (Hwt, 2023) and 20 NCAA All-Americans -- plus four NWCA All-Americans during the Covid-canceled 2019-20 season. Parris was also named the 2023 Hodge Trophy winner as the nation's top college wrestler.
He led Michigan to one of the most successful seasons in the 100-year history of the program in 2021-22. The Wolverines posted a 12-1 dual-meet record, captured the Big Ten championship for the first time since 1973 and claimed second place at the NCAA Championships. Suriano captured the 125-pound NCAA title to cap a perfect 16-0 season at 125 pounds, while U-M tied a program record with six total All-Americans. Myles Amine, who also earned Co-Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships, became the first ever five-time NCAA placewinner with a runner-up finish at 184 pounds, while Will Lewan (157 pounds), Cameron Amine (165), Logan Massa (174) and Parris (Hwt) also reached the podium.
Since returning to his alma mater in 2011, Bormet has helped mentor 27 different Wolverine All-Americans to 42 All-America total citations. He was also in Kellen Russell's corner when Russell captured his second NCAA title and fourth Big Ten title at 141 pounds to finish a stellar collegiate career in 2012. The Wolverines have earned top-10 team finishes in eight of the last nine NCAA Championships, including four straight top-five finishes -- a fourth-place finish in 2018, fifth-place showings in 2019 and 2021 and the runner-up finish in 2022. Michigan earned another NCAA trophy, its third in six seasons, with a third-place finish in 2024 behind four All-Americans and two NCAA finalists in Austin Gomez (149) and Lucas Davison (Hwt).
A three-time winner of the Terry McCann Award as the USA Wrestling Freestyle Coach of the Year (2006, '08, '10), Bormet has coached seven different Olympians across four Olympic Games and sent an NCAA-record five Michigan alums to the 2024 Paris Games. Wolverine alums also claimed three medals at the 2023 World Championships in 57kg champion Stevan Micic and bronze medalists Myles Amine (86kg) and Mason Parris (125kg). Bormet was a member of the coaching staff for three U.S. World Championship Teams (2006, '09, '10) as well as the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Teams and 2010 World Cup Team. Among his other decorated freestyle wrestlers are 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat (84kg), 2009 world silver medalist and 2012 Olympian Jake Herbert (84kg) and 2006 world bronze medalist Donny Pritzlaff (74kg) and Greco-Roman world silver medalist Adam Coon (2018, 130kg).
Bormet was also named the 2004 USA Wrestling Developmental Coach of the Year for his coaching achievements with age-group wrestlers and programs. He coached the Illinois Junior Freestyle Team to four dual national titles (2006, '07, '08, '10) and two national freestyle titles (2007, '10). He has coached numerous age-group national champions and All-Americans as a coach for the Illinois Junior and Cadet freestyle national teams.
As the owner and founder of the Overtime School of Wrestling in Naperville, Illinois, Bormet molded the training center into the nation's premiere wrestling club, producing numerous champions and All-Americans at all age levels since its opening in 2001. Alumni of the Overtime School of Wrestling include World medalists, Olympic and World team members, NCAA champions and All-Americans, USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet national champions and more than 150 Illinois and Indiana state champions.
Prior to founding the Overtime School of Wrestling, Bormet served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin (1995-99) and Michigan (1999-2000). He worked with two-time NCAA champion Donny Pritzlaff and three-time All-American Eric Jetton during his tenure at Wisconsin and All-Americans Otto Olson, Damion Logan and Andy Hrovat while at Michigan.
As a Wolverine student-athlete (1991-94), Bormet was a two-time NCAA All-American at 158 pounds, placing second as a senior (1994) and third as a junior (1993). He garnered the prestigious Gorriaran Award at the 1993 event, registering three falls in a combined 8:58. He captured back-to-back Big Ten 158-pound titles (1993, '94) and won the prestigious Midlands at 158 pounds in 1993.
Bormet posted a 125-21 career record, including a 33-2 mark as a senior, to rank 13th among Michigan's all-time winningest wrestlers. He accumulated 44 career falls, leading the team with 15 during his junior season and 14 as a senior, to list fourth on the program's all-time pins list. A two-time team captain, Bormet was twice named the Wolverines' Cliff Keen Award winner as the team's most outstanding wrestler.
In addition to his collegiate success, Bormet also excelled in freestyle wrestling, placing second at 76kg at the 1999 U.S. Senior National and third at 74kg in 1996. He took third place at the 1996 Olympic Team Trials and 1999 World Team Trials. While at Michigan, Bormet competed in the 1991 Espoir World Championships after claiming the Espoir national championship at 74kg. He participated in several international tours, claiming gold medals in Italy (1993), Greece (1996), Montreal (1997) and Poland (1998, 2000).
A native of Frankfort, Illinois, Bormet graduated from Michigan in 1994 with a degree in sport management. He and his wife, Teri, have a daughter, Zoe, and live in Ann Arbor. Zoe is currently a student-athlete on the Michigan field hockey team.
