1988 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman coach Pavel Katsen, 79, passed away last night

USA Wrestling is sadden to report that 1988 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman head wrestling coach Pavel Katsen, 79, passed away last evening in Long Branch, N.J.

Katsen was the coach for the U.S. Greco-Roman team which competed in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. The team featured Olympic bronze medalist Dennis Koslowski at 100 kg. Other U.S. Greco-Roman athletes who placed in the top 10 in Seoul were Ike Anderson (6^th at 62 kg), John Morgan (7^th at 82 kg) and Duane Koslowski (8^th at 130 kg).

Katsen was an assistant coach for the U.S. Greco-Roman Team at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif. This team was the first to win Olympic medals in Greco-Roman for the United States. He worked with head coach Ron Finley with the team, which was led by Olympic champions Steve Fraser (90 kg) and Jeff Blatnick (unlimited), plus silver medalist Greg Gibson (100 kg) and bronze medalist Jim Martinez (68 kg). Katsen was also on the coaching staff at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, where the USA won three Greco-Roman medals, including Rulon Gardner’s historic gold-medal victory of Alexander Karelin of Russia at 130 kg.

He was part of a number of other U.S. World Team, Pan American and tour team coaching staffs in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Katsen was on the coaching staff at the 1985 World Championships in Kolbatn, Norway, when Mike Houck became the first U.S. wrestler to win a Senior Greco-Roman World title, capturing the gold medal at 90 kg.

Katsen came to the United States from the Soviet Union in 1979, and started his involvement in U.S. wrestling in Oregon, where he worked with youth wrestlers. He was soon involved with the national Greco-Roman coaching effort. He lived many years in Brooklyn, N.Y., before moving to Long Branch, N.J. for the final years of his life.

He is considered a pioneer leader in helping the United States break through on the international level in Greco-Roman wrestling, and helped set the foundation for a program that went on to win medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships in the years to follow.

In addition to his tremendous abilities in coaching Greco-Roman and motivating athletes, Katsen was respected and appreciated by athletes, coaches and wrestling leaders, making numerous friends across the nation during the years while he was active in the sport.

Pavel Katsen will be buried at the Freehold Hebrew Cemetery in New Jersey on Thursday, September 12 at 10:00 a.m. The cemetery is located at 164 Business Route 33 in Freehold, New Jersey, 07728. Friends of Pavel Katsen who are able to get to Freehold are invited to come.