Justin the builder is continuing to work on Aurora’s West Side, but he’s moving from the high school to college level and expanding his scope.
Justin Pearch, who quickly built Aurora Christian’s boys wrestling program into a small school powerhouse, has been hired by Aurora University to head its men’s and women’s programs.
AU officials this spring announced a plan to revive a men’s wrestling program that was discontinued 35 years ago and also start a women’s program.
AU athletic director Jim Hamad said women’s wrestling trails only e-gaming as the second-fastest growing sport in college athletics.
Both teams, which bring AU athletic department offerings to 24 sports, are expected to begin competing in the 2021-22 school year.
Pearch hopes to have 20-25 wrestlers for each team in the first season.
“Justin was the favorite to land the job,” Hamad said. “We were looking at him even before it opened, and it’s because of the program he built at Aurora Christian.
“Once I spoke with him and others, it was apparent that he has high character and was the best fit.”
Pearch started Aurora Christian’s program in 2016-17, and the Eagles won the Class 1A dual team state title the next season. They finished second in 2018-19 and moved up to 2A this past season, winning a third straight team trophy with a third-place finish.
“It happened a little faster than I thought when we started,” Pearch said. “If your community has a good wrestling culture, it helps.
“I definitely believe in my coaching skills and mentoring abilities. We just jumped right into it.”
An Oregon native, Pearch graduated from the University of Oregon in 2007 after wrestling there his final two years. He transferred from North Idaho College, where he was a teammate of future brother-in-law Israel Martinez, the former West Aurora standout who coached Montini through 2018-19.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to coach in college,” said Pearch, who thought it would happen sooner. “My senior year at Oregon the coaches there were hoping to have me join the staff after I graduated. But then, after my senior year, Oregon dropped wrestling.”
He still has ties to the state, which could help with recruiting.
“The youth team I wrestled with going back before high school had girls who wrestled,” Pearch said. “And I’ve coached girls in club wrestling.”
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The IHSA also will add girls wrestling to its state series in the 2021-22 school year.
“There were almost 900 girls in Illinois participating in wrestling last year,” Pearch said.
Pearch lives in Sugar Grove with his wife, Lisa, and they have two daughters and one son. He assisted Martinez at Montini before taking the Aurora Christian job and has worked with him in club wrestling.
A national tournament qualifier in college, Pearch also has coached Illinois teams at several levels in national competitions since 2013.
“Justin is the ideal coach to build our programs,” Hamad said. “His recruiting connections and proven success in developing and instructing wrestlers is going to be beneficial in building the foundation of what will become a nationally recognized brand.”