Daniel Zottarelli

Daniel Zottarelli was inducted into the inaugural College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. He was previously inducted into the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Hall of Fame in 2014.

A native of Westbury, N.Y., Zottarelli graduated from West Virginia University in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education and earned a varsity letter in wrestling under coach George Nedeff. He began his coaching career in Morgantown, where he guided a state champion at University High School, then moved to Kent County High School in Worton, Md., where he founded the wrestling program and the Kent County Junior Wrestling League.

Over a three-decade head coaching career at Kent County, Zottarelli’s teams won 12 consecutive Bayside Conference championships, five straight Class 2A/1A East regional dual and tournament titles, a state dual meet crown, and the 2001 and 2002 Class 2A/1A state tournament championships. His athletes earned 13 individual state titles.

Zottarelli’s honors include induction into the Maryland Public Schools Wrestling Hall of Fame (1990), the WVU Wrestling Hall of Fame (1996), and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for lifetime service to wrestling (2001). He was named National Scholastic Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 2001 and was a USA Wrestling Magazine National Co-Coach of the Year the same year. He served for a decade on the National Wrestling Coaches Association executive board as scholastic director. He has also coached Special Olympics for many years. In 2024, he was inducted into the W. Tresper Clarke High School Hall of Achievement.