BIO
Art Canales is the inaugural assistant wrestling coach for Marian University. Coach Canales has been involved in wrestling off-and-on for over 40-years as a wrestler, coach, and referee. Canales is the person who had the idea, vision, and perseverance to bring wrestling to Marian University. He began the process of working to get a team to Marian since he arrived in the Fall of 2012, and along with the Athlete Director, Mr. Steve Downing, it took approximately four years of dialogue, study, and discernment to bring wrestling to Marian University. Canales states, “Bringing the great sport of wrestling to Marian University is one of the highlights and bright-spots of my career in over 16 years of being involved in higher education.”
As a wrestler, Canales wrestled in high school at the prestigious, Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia (Hollywood, Florida the academy’s winter home), where he competed in two states and racked-up over 80 wins and only 6 losses. He wrestled in college at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio (1981-1983), under legendary coach Harry Huska. Canales trained with U.S. Marine Corp Greco-Roman Wrestling Team in Quantico, Virginia in 1984, under the tutelage of 3-time world Greco-Roman World Champion Wilfredo Leva, Jr. and finished third in the AAU Greco-Roman Nationals in 1984. Canales has been an assistant wrestling coach at Miami Sunset High School (1984-1987), where he helped coach three Florida state champions, and was the associate head Wrestling coach at Miami Christopher Columbus Boys Preparatory School (1996-1998). He was the assistant wrestling coach for Saint Luke Catholic School Cadet Team (2012-2016) in Indianapolis, Indiana, where his oldest son wrestles, and he is a club coach for Brownsburg Wrestling Club in Brownsburg, Indiana (2014-present). Coach Canales is a member of USA Wrestling Association and a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Canales has also been a wrestling official in Florida, Ohio, and Indiana. Canales is married to his wife Tanya and they have three children: Alex, Anna, and Albert; they live in Brownsburg, Indiana.
In between his coaching of wrestling, Canales earned a few degrees along the way. He began his education career at Ohio University (Athens, OH), but transferred and earned a baccalaureate degree from Florida International University (Miami, FL), Master of Arts degrees from University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL), Master of Divinity degree from The Catholic University of America (Washington, DC), Master of Liturgical Studies degree from the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN), and a Doctor of Ministry degree from The Catholic University of America (Washington, DC) with a major emphasis in pastoral theology and liturgical & sacramental theology and a minor concentration in Pastoral Care & Counseling. Canales is on the faculty of Marian University and is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology & Ministry within the Department of Theology & Philosophy.
