Wrestling

David Acosta

Wrestling Coach

David Acosta was a three-time All-State wrestler in high school and went on to compete at the NCAA Division I level for The Citadel. He has coached wrestling for over seven years, primarily in folkstyle, and has refereed for more than 10 years, so he knows the sport from every side of the mat.

David describes his coaching style as compassionate but demanding. He cares about his wrestlers as people, and he expects them to show up focused, bring a good attitude, and work hard. His wrestlers train to win, but the daily goal is to be better than they were yesterday.

“Come ready to focus, work hard, and get better every day. I’ll give you everything I’ve got, and I’ll expect the same from you.”

Connor Lapresi

Wrestling Coach

Connor Lapresi has wrestled since he was five years old and has spent the last 10 years coaching. He competed at the NCAA Division I level and won New York State championships in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. That background shapes the technical, systematic approach he brings to his classes at X-Zen.

Connor describes his coaching style as methodical, personalized, and cohesive. He knows every athlete learns differently, so he meets students where they are and challenges them to grow beyond their current abilities.

His goal goes beyond takedowns and positioning. Inspired by Bruce Lee's view of martial arts as honest self-expression, Connor wants students to understand themselves, recognize their own weaknesses, and solve problems on their own. One of his favorite parts of coaching is watching athletes surprise themselves with how much they've improved.

“If you train with me, you can expect to be challenged in ways you didn’t expect to be challenging.”

Conor Caffrey

Wrestling Coach

Conor Caffrey has spent 12 years coaching wrestlers from kindergarten through 12th grade in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. In that time he has developed multiple state placers and state champions, along with NHSCA and Fargo All-Americans, including a National Champion. He also serves on the board of the South Carolina Wrestling Coaches Association.

Conor believes in developing the whole wrestler. He teaches the fundamental techniques, strategies, and mindset each athlete needs to compete at their highest level. He also builds life skills like work ethic, accountability, and discipline, so his wrestlers can succeed off the mat too.

Jason Tolbert

Wrestling Coach