Like many coaches, Pete Welch grew up in a wrestling family, coached in high school by his father, John Welch, a 2003 inductee in the NJ Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. At Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, Welch accumulated 103 wins and placed third in the NJ State Tournament as a junior and won a State Title as a senior. Pete's success continued at the University of NC, where he won 108 matches and in 1991, was an ACC champion, earned NCAA All-America Honors and was the OW at the National Duals. Welch credits his success to the unconditional love of his parents and the push from his older brother John, a two-time NJ State Champion and ACC Champion. Upon graduation, Welch joined the faculty of the McDonogh School in Owings Mills in 1993 and was Head Wrestling Coach in 1994. During the past 22 years, Welch has built the program into a national powerhouse. His teams have placed among the top 5 in the National Prep Tournament 9 times and have broken into the Top 50 National Rankings on numerous occasions. He has coached countless wrestlers, including 73 MIAA Champions, 56 State Champions, and 13 National Prep Champions. Welch has twice been named the Baltimore Sun's Coach of the Year. In 2014, he was the National Prep Coach of the Year and Varsity Sports Network Coach of the Year and in 2006 received the MD Wrestling Officials Association William T. Hastings Contribution to Wrestling Award. "Pete is always trying to grow within the sport of wrestling and is a phenomenal advocate for the Independent School Wrestling Community," said Joe Bakewell, who has coached with Welch for more than 21 years. "His hard work and dedication, along with his character and integrity has lead McDonogh to be consistently recognized nationally over the past decade." Moreover, Welch has made McDonough a focal point for numerous tournaments, practices, and training sessions throughout the year. He is also the Director of Middle School Athletics, the Director of Campus Safety and Security, and a Teacher in the Physical Education Department at McDonogh School.