Coach Paul Schmidt

Coach Schmidt is in his 24th season at Nassau CC. He began his coaching career at Nassau as an assistant before taking over the Head Coaching responsibilities 10 years ago. Coach Schmidt is a graduate of Nassau Community College and a former NJCAA All-American wrestler. After graduating from Nassau Community College Coach Schmidt continued his education and wrestling career at the University of Florida, where he finished 2nd in the SEC Championships and qualified for the NCAA Division I National Tournament. In 2010 Coach Schmidt was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. 

Nassau Community College has won the NJCAA National Championship in 2003 and 2004 and the National Dual Meet Championship in 2004 and 2005. Coach Schmidt was named NJCAA Man of the Year in 2004 and was selected to be the Honorary Coach at the NWCA NCAA Division I All Star Match held at the University of Northern Iowa in 2005. Coach Schmidt has also been named NYS College Coach of the Year in 2002 and the NJCAA Coach of the year in 2003, 2008 and 2009.

Coach Schmidt was a Lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department before retiring in 2000. Coach Schmidt has a Bachelors Degree in Recreation Administration from Empire State College and a Masters Degree in Liberal Studies from Stony Brook University. Coach Schmidt currently is a full-time professor and the Coordinator of the Fire Science/ Emergency Management Degree program here at Nassau Community College.