Coaches

Howell Rebel Wrestling

Coaching Staff

* John Gagliano enters his 24th season as Howell’s Head Wrestling Coach. He graduated from Howell in 1987 as the career leader in wins and went on to wrestle at Middlesex County College. Coach Gagliano continued his education and wrestling career at Kean College where he earned a degree in Health and Physical Education. While at Kean, he was a two-time team captain, a two-time national qualifier, and an Academic All-American. Coach Gagliano has achieved great success since returning to his alma mater to teach and coach. Among his most noted coaching accomplishments are 17 A-North championships; 21 Holiday Championships; Seven District Titles & Four State Sectional Championships and Two Group V Championship. He coached two State Champions and a National Champion Joey Langel and Eric Keosseian, four State runner ups and Howell's Most Winning Wrestler, a two-time state runner up, Kyle Slendorn. Coach Gagliano’s coaching record stands at 488-78. Coach “Gags” and his wife Francine live in Howell with their three children, Theresa, Anthony, and Christina & granddaughter Olivia.

* Todd Going begins his 17^8h season as an assistant wrestling coach at Howell High School. A 1995 Howell graduate, Coach Going was a state qualifier for the Rebels his senior year. He went on to wrestle at Middlesex County College before attending Delaware Valley College and Montclair State University. During his collegiate career, Coach Going compiled 101 wins, while qualifying for the national tournament three times. In 1999, he earned N.C.A.A. Division III All-American honors. Coach Going is a member of Howell’s physical education staff, he and his wife Jackie, also a Howell graduate, currently live in Farmingdale. They have two boys Tyler and Ryan.

* Rich Gildner begins his 5^th season as an assistant coach for Howell High School. He was a 1998 graduate of Southern Regional High School. While at Southern, Coach Gildner was a 4^th place finisher in the state as a junior and was a NJSIAA State Champion as a senior. After high school he continued his education at The College of New Jersey where he was a 1^st Team All ECAC tight end for the football team as well as a four year starter for the wrestling team. Coach Gildner was a 2-time national qualifier placing in the top 12 of the country his junior and senior year. In his senior season he was named captain of the wrestling team as well as being named to the Academic All-American Team. After college Coach Gildner was named the Head Coach at Robbinsville High School where he ran the program for the past 11 years. During his coaching tenure, his teams won four District 25 Team Titles as well as a Central Jersey Group 1 Sectional Championship. He was named the NJSIAA District 25 Coach of the year in 2009 and 2010, as well as the Region 7 Coach of the Year in 2010. Coach Gildner currently teaches Physical Education at Howell High School. He resides in Howell with his wife Kristina and their children Kaylee and Brandon.

* Jason Brandl is beginning his 15^th year as Howell’s freshmen coach. A 1992 graduate of Howell High School, he was a four-year member of the wrestling program. A holiday tournament place-winner his senior year, Coach Brandl was a middle-weight on the 1991-1992 Shore Conference A-North Championship team. His 2019 freshmen team was 7-0 and A-North champions. Coach Brandl has numerous undefeated freshman seasons for the Rebels. A graduate of Monmouth University with a degree in history, Coach Brandl serves as a teacher in special education. He lives in Freehold at the present time.

* Nick Farrar enters his 2nd year as the Freshmen Wrestling coach at Howell High School. A graduate of Jackson Memorial in 2006, Coach Farrar was a part of the wrestling and lacrosse programs. Upon graduating Montclair State University and playing lacrosse, he began teaching special education and coaching wrestling at Goetz Middle School in Jackson from 2011-2018. Coach Farrar currently teaches Health and Physical Education at Howell High School while living in Manalapan with his wife Chelsea and daughter Colbie.

* Pete Reilly begins his 6^th season with the Howell Rebel Wrestling program as a volunteer coach. He is a 2004 Freehold Township High School graduate. Coach Reilly was a three sport varsity athlete for Freehold Township in Football, Wrestling, & Lacrosse. He was a District Champion and went on to wrestle at Johnson & Wales University, where he was a captain for two years and also a two-time Conference Place winner. He coached at Freehold Township for five years. He currently resides in Howell with his wife Abby and their son Mason.

* Rich Famularo has been a part of Howell’s staff for the past twenty four years. Prior to joining the Rebels, he established and coordinated Howell’s nationally-recognized recreation club, The Predator, which has been a tremendous feeder system for the high school’s wrestling program for the past 24 years. For the past 13 seasons, he has been working closely with our freshmen program. Coach Famularo, a graduate of Phillipsburg High School and a member of the school’s vaunted wrestling tradition, has brought P’burg’s winning tradition to Howell High School. A resident of the Howell community “Coach Rich” remains active mentoring both our wrestlers and coaches.

* Mike Verrochi excelled in both football and wrestling at Long Branch High School. In 1973, he was both a district and region runner-up at 178 pounds. After graduation, Coach Verrochi went on to Trenton State College where he participated again in both football and wrestling. He has been a wrestling icon at Howell since 1982, turning out numerous undefeated freshmen and junior varsity teams. He has been certified as a wrestling official for the past twenty-six years. He adds experience, savvy and inspiration to our wrestling program. Coach Verrochi has retired from Howell High School’s physical education department which he has been a member since 1980. “V Rock” currently resides in Howell Township. He has never forgotten his Long Branch roots, however, as he remains active in countless community programs.

* Jason Nase enters his 2nd season as an Assistant Coach for Howell High School. He was a 1992 graduate of Point Pleasant Boro High School. During his High School career Jason won 112 matches, was a 3X District Champion, 2X Region Champion, as well as being a Two-Time NJSIAA State Runner-Up. Jason continued his wrestling career at Rider University where he complied 103 career wins and went on to become a Four-Time NCAA Division 1 National Qualifier and in 1997 earned NCAA All-American honors with his 8^th place finish at 134 pounds. After college Coach Nase entered the coaching ranks and this season marks his 23^rd year in coaching with stops at Brick Memorial HS, Brick Twp. HS, Wall HS, The Broncs Wrestling Club, and as an Assistant Coach at Rider Univesity coaching multiple NCAA All-Americans. Coach Nase is also a member of the Point Pleasant Boro Hall of Fame, Rider University Athletics Hall of Fame, and Region 6 Shore Conference Hall of Fame. Coach Nase is currently a health and Physical Education teacher at Wall Twp. High School. Coach Nase lives in Howell with his wife Christie, sons Jake and Kyle, and Daughter Allie.