Duke Niedbalski Named Girls Wrestling Head Coach At their last meeting the South Madison Community School Board of Trustees approved Duke Niedbalski as the next girls’ wrestling head coach at Pendleton Heights. Niedbalski will be the program’s 3rd coach in its short history. Niedbalski is a graduate of Mishawaka Marian (2000). He went on to Indiana University-South Bend following high school. He then returned to his high school as an assistant football coach, which started his coaching career in 2004. Niedbalski has multiple years of coaching experience taking place at different levels ranging from youth programs to varsity high school sports. He has spent the past two seasons guiding the boys wrestling team at Pendleton Heights Middle School. The middle school Arabians finished last season with 40+ wrestlers in contrast to the 13 wrestlers PHMS had the year before Niedbalski started. “I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Head Girls Wrestling Coach at Pendleton Heights High School. Accepting this position is truly a dream come true. Wrestling has given me so much throughout my life, and I am excited for the opportunity to give back. Girl's wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country, and I look forward to helping shape the future of this young program. I am thankful for the trust the administration has placed in me, and I look forward to growing this program, establishing a tradition of excellence, and representing Pendleton Heights with pride. I can't wait to get to work with these young women and build a program that our school and community can be proud of for years to come.” Statement from Chad Smith, Athletic Director at Pendleton Heights: “It’s always a positive when you can find a coach in your own backyard. Coach Niedbalski ran a varsity caliber program at the middle school level, which prepared our student-athletes to compete as soon as they entered the high school. He will bring consistency to our girls wrestling program and has put down his own roots in our community.”