ThunderWolves football coach

John Wristen is the new football coach at CSU-Pueblo


2007-07-03 00:00:00.000

By Todd Kelly

PUEBLO – Joseph Garcia, President of Colorado State University – Pueblo, today introduced John Wristen as the ThunderWolves first football coach since 1985. CSU-Pueblo's football program was cut in 1985 as part of a campus-wide reorganization plan. The Thunderwolves, who are reinstating wrestling and women’s track & field as well, will begin play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in the fall of 2008.

“I am excited about what a quality football program can do for our long-term goals of enrollment growth, improved student retention and graduation rates, and the quality of our campus life at CSU-Pueblo,” said Garcia. “Coach Wristen will run a clean, successful, and competitive program that will focus on helping us to achieve those goals, and he will work closely with our faculty to educate successful student –athletes.”

Wristen, a 1984 graduate of CSU-Pueblo and a two-time all-RMAC quarterback for the ThunderWolves, returns to Pueblo after coaching the past 17 years in the NCAA Division I ranks at the University of Colorado, Northwestern University, and, most recently, UCLA. He was chosen from an application pool of more than 100 football coaches.