NCAA Asst. Coach Steps Down Over Harmful NIL Changes in Rutgers

Rutgers arrived at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships with nine qualifiers but captured only a sliver of hoped-for success, as quarterfinal losses stopped both Remy Cotton and Hunter Catka. Now, as the athletic department races to reshape itself for the NIL era, another setback hits the wrestling program.

The Rutgers Wrestling assistant coach, Steve Mytych, confirmed his decision via a statement on his official Instagram page less than two weeks after the NCAA Wrestling Championships ended.

“After much thought and reflection, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from my role as an assistant coach at Rutgers,” Mytych wrote on Instagram.

“This sport has given me so much, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work alongside amazing athletes and coaches. What I’ve always loved most about coaching is the opportunity to develop young men—helping them grow, push past their limits, and realize their full potential both on and off the mat.”

A former wrestler himself, Mytych spent five years with Drexel from 2005 to 2010, where he was a four-time NCAA National Qualifier and the college’s all-time leader in wins with 137. After his career ended, he switched sides and became a coach, starting with a head coach role at Keystone College. Mytych joined Rutgers in 2022 as Director of Operations and advanced to full-time assistant coach within a year.

During that time, he has seen the impact NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) has had on the college, especially as Rutgers Athletics continues to evolve and explore multiple avenues in this space. That includes the arrival of Keli Zinn in the summer of 2025 as the athletics director, whose sole goal since then has been to help Rutgers navigate changes in NIL and take full advantage of them.

That, however, hasn’t gone down well with Steve Mytych, who confirmed that the rise of NIL and other changes has forced him to step back.

“As the landscape of college athletics continues to evolve, particularly with the rise of NIL and the transfer portal, I’ve found myself reflecting on what matters most to me,” Mytych added. “My passion has always been rooted in development, growth, and building something deeper than just results or compensation. I believe in the process, in mentorship, and in the long-term impact I can have on student-athletes’ lives.

“While this decision wasn’t easy, I’m excited for what’s ahead and for opportunities that align more closely with my values and purpose as a coach.”

That does come as no surprise, especially when considering what Zinn has already kicked off, firing Coquese Washington as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. And she’s got plans well beyond that.

Rutgers’ Keli Zinn attempting to help Rutgers modernize its infrastructure

Zinn has already kicked things off by introducing a new initiative by launching the Scarlet Knight Enterprises in early March. Scarlet Knight Enterprises will serve as the college’s full-service media agency and absorb the school-owned Scarlet Assets Management Company. That used to manage Rutgers’ multimedia and NIL rights, along with merchandising and ticket sales.

However, with the creation of the Scarlet Knight Enterprises, Zinn has attempted to modernize Rutgers and change the way they operate.

“The creation of Scarlet Knight Enterprises is a pivotal step for Rutgers Athletics,” Zinn said in a statement as per NJ.com. “College athletics is evolving rapidly, and we have a responsibility to be proactive in how we structure our business operations to grow and diversify our revenue.

“We are building a modern, innovative business model that allows us to maximize opportunities, compete aggressively in the marketplace, and generate new resources that directly benefit our student-athletes and fans.”

For Rutgers, the shift toward a more aggressive NIL-driven model is clearly only just beginning, even if it comes with difficult trade-offs. And as Steve Mytych’s departure shows, not everyone within the program is willing to navigate that new reality at the cost of their core coaching values.

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