PEMBROKE – UNC Pembroke wrestling head coach O.T. Johnson has announced the addition of Terrence Zaleski as assistant coach for the Braves.

A former wrestler at UNCP, Zaleski joins the Black & Gold after spending nine and a half years in the United State Marine Corps, where he was an Officer and served in multiple leadership roles and represented the Marine Corps as a high-level competitor. 

"I am excited to have Terrence return to UNCP on the coaching side, as he brings a great deal of experience from his time in the military and his time traveling the world to compete for the Marine Corps and Team USA," said Johnson. "It's an honor to have him back in the Black and Gold and I am looking forward to learning from him."

Zaleski's wrestling career spans more than a decade of national and international competition. He is a two-time Greco-Roman Olympic Trials Competitor, four-time Greco-Roman World Team Trials Competitor, and eight-time U.S. Open Greco-Roman All-American. His achievements include representing the United States as a 2023 Beach Wrestling World Team Member, winning both the 2020 Armed Forces Greco‑Roman and Freestyle Championships, earning bronze at the 2018 Lavrikov Tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia, and placing multiple times at ASICS University Nationals and FILA Junior national events.

During his military career, Zaleski served with the All-Marine Wrestling Team as both an athlete and a Public Affairs Officer, supporting athletes' performance while managing organizational messaging, media production, and stakeholder engagement. He later held strategic leadership positions within Marine Corps Recruiting Command, directing regional marketing operations, managing multi‑million‑dollar programs, and building partnerships with educators, coaches, and community leaders across the eastern United States.

Before competing at the senior level, Zaleski built a strong collegiate foundation at UNC Pembroke, qualifying for the 2015 NCAA Division II Championships with a 39-5 record. His early success began in North Carolina high school wrestling, where he was the 2010 state champion for Havelock High School and 2009 state runner‑up for White Oak High School.

Zaleski returns to his alma mater to pursue his Master's in Social Work, and brings a coaching philosophy grounded in discipline, technical precision, and athlete‑centered development. His combination of elite competitive experience, leadership in high‑pressure environments, and commitment to mentorship positions him as a strong asset to the UNC Pembroke wrestling program and its continued pursuit of excellence. Zaleski also plans to pursue a PhD to become a sports psychologist in the distant future.

"Coming back to my alma mater, UNC Pembroke, feels like coming full circle," said Zaleski. "I believe deeply in what Coach O.T. built here. That belief is what brought me to Pembroke in 2013, and it's what brings me back now. My goal is to use everything I've learned as a wrestler, a Marine, and a leader to help our wrestlers grow into champions in competition and in life."