Coaching Staff
Head Coach
Joe Provini
In May of 2022 Coach Provini was named the 8th head wrestling coach in program history. A 2003 graduate of Nazareth Area High School, Provini compiled over 100 career victories as a 4-year varsity starter. He was a District XI Champion, placed 6th in the PIAA State Championships, and was named the District XI AAA Scholar Athlete as a senior. Coach Provini went on to wrestle at Shippensburg University where he was a Division II National Qualifier for the Red Raiders. Provini's team set school records of 5 National Qualifiers and an 8th place finish at the Division II NCAA Championships while crowning the program's first National Champion.
In 2012 Coach Provini graduated from East Stroudsburg University with a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education Social Studies. In his 12th year in education, Coach Provini teaches 11th grade AP English Language and Composition and 9th grade Honors US History at Northampton Area High School.
Coach Provini served as a Varsity Assistant for 12 seasons at his alma mater. In that time, he helped his teams capture three PIAA AAA State Tournament Championships in 2017, 2018, and 2022, and his teams finished top 3 in the state in 6 of his 12 seasons. Coach Provini's teams were also the PIAA AAA State Dual Champions in 2017 and 2020, and his teams finished in the top 4 in 6 of his 12 seasons. He has coached 10 PIAA AAA State Champions and 15 State Finalists, with at least 1 State Finalist in 11 of his 12 seasons. In addition, he has coached 56 PIAA AAA State Placewinners, 36 NE Regional AAA Champions and 36 District XI AAA Champions. In his first season as head coach, Provini guided the Konkrete Kids to a 9-3 record and crowned his first District Champion, Regional Champion, and State Finalist.
Coach Provini resides in Walnutport with his wife Sara and their daughter Mattingly.
Assistant Coaches
Mike Sommer
Head Varsity Assistant
Entering his 14th year on the Northampton Wrestling coaching staff, Coach Sommer began his wrestling career in our NAA youth program. A 1997 graduate from Northampton, Sommer capped off his Konkrete Kid wrestling career with a 4th place finish in the PIAA AAA State Tournament. He went on to graduate with honors from Lycoming College where he was a three-time conference placewinner, two-year captain, and he racked up 97 career wins for the Warriors.
After several years coaching at Whitehall, Sommer returned home as a volunteer assistant at Northampton in 2012. In 2014 he was promoted to Varsity Assistant, and in 2019 he was honored as the District XI AAA Assistant Coach of the year. In his 22nd year as an 8th grade science teacher at Whitehall Middle School, Mike resides in Northampton with his wife Mandy, his high school sweetheart and former Northampton cheerleader, and their two children, Senior Morgan and sophomore wrestler Matthew.
Jim Derr
Varsity Assistant
Coach Derr has been coaching in the Northampton Wrestling program in some capacity since 2001. A 1977 graduate of Milton Area High School, Derr was a 2x Sectional Champ, Regional Runner-Up, and PIAA State Qualifier. His coaching career began at his alma mater as a volunteer assistant for 4 years.
In 2015, Coach Derr became the Junior High Assistant Coach under Head Coach Keith Venanzi, and during this time their junior high teams were twice District Champions and ranked #1 in Pennsylvania. In 2020, Coach Derr became the Head Junior High Coach where he led his team to a District Championship and the #1 ranked boundary-school in Pennsylvania. For his efforts, Coach Derr was named the 2022 District XI and PIAA AAA Junior High Coach of the Year. Coach Derr resides in Northampton with his fiancee Amy Appello. His two children, son Nathan and daughter Madison, are both Northampton graduates.
Marcus Newsom
Varsity Assistant
Coming Soon​
Gina Limpar
Girls Varsity Assistant​
Coach Limpar joins the varsity staff as the first female coach in Northampton Wrestling history. A former field hockey coach, Coach Limpar is excited to use her experience to develop a growth mindset in our female wrestlers and help launch Northampton Girls Wrestling. She resides in Moore Township with her husband Marty, a former standout Northampton wrestler, and their children.
Joe Tocci
Head Junior High
​
Kyle Rusnock
Junior High Assistant
​
Stan Kish
Junior High Assistant
​