Wrestling coach Drew Pariano has signed a contract extension through the end of the 2018 season, Northwestern announced Tuesday.

Pariano is entering his fourth season at the helm of his alma mater after being an assistant at NU from 2005 to 2009. During his tenure as head coach, four Wildcats have wrestled in Big Ten finals and seven have been named All-Americans. Last season, then-senior Jason Welch and then-sophomore Mike McMullan each qualified for NCAA finals.

“Northwestern Wrestling is synonymous with excellence and my staff and I will work extremely hard to carry on the tradition,” Pariano said in a news release. “Northwestern is a very special place for me and I plan on building the program into a perennial national title contender.”

The athletic department said Monday seven coaches received extensions over the summer. The other six names are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

— Josh Walfish