The Milford High School Department of Athletics is proud to announce the hiring of Eric Western as the interim head coach of the girls’ wrestling team, pending board approval. Western brings nearly two decades of leadership experience through his service in the United States Army Reserve, where he currently serves as a Command Sergeant Major overseeing more than 600 Soldiers across multiple states. In both his military and professional career, he has demonstrated a proven ability to develop high-performing teams that consistently achieve success. Western’s dedication to teamwork and personal growth will serve as a strong foundation for the student-athletes he will lead, providing them not only with the technical skills needed for competition but also with the values of perseverance, character, and resilience that extend beyond the wrestling mat.
Joining Western as assistant coaches are Scott Brueck and Amanda Duffy. Brueck began wrestling in fifth grade and went on to compete collegiately at Wittenberg University. He has served as an assistant coach for Milford Junior High boys wrestling for the past 15 years and currently leads the Milford Junior High girls wrestling program. Brueck also coaches both boys and girls soccer for Alliance Cincinnati Soccer Club. Duffy, a Milford graduate, is a School Counselor at McNicholas High School and has served in and out of the district over the years. She has over 16 years of service in the National Guard and Army Reserve, previously coached Milford Junior High Girls on the Run, and is a parent of two children in Milford Schools.
Girls wrestling is an emerging sport in Ohio, having been officially sanctioned by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) beginning with the 2022-23 school year. This historic decision gives girls their own postseason tournament and state championship, providing the same opportunities as their male counterparts. The sport has grown rapidly, with over 3,000 girls competing in the postseason in 2025, and schools sponsoring girls wrestling maintain separate schedules for boys’ and girls’ events.
Milford’s girls wrestling team will practice in a new 6,000-square-foot wrestling room at the state-of-the-art Meranda Sports Complex, providing student-athletes with top-notch facilities as the program continues to grow.