Stroudsburg wrestling coach and athletic director Sean Richmond was killed in an accident Saturday on Interstate 380. The husband and father of two daughters was 38.
Richmond was killed shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday on Interstate 380 North in Tobyhanna Township. The Monroe County coroner said he was headed to Stroudsburg’s prom at Kalahari Resorts before the accident, according to WNEP.
State police at Stroudsburg said in a news release that it received numerous reports about an accident involving a tractor-trailer and a pedestrian at 6:08 p.m. Saturday. The release said Emergency Medical Services workers transported one person to St. Luke’s-Monroe in Stroud Township, where he died.
State police and the Monroe County coroner are investigating. State police asked anyone with information about the crash to contact their station at 570-619-6800.
Spokesperson Trooper Anthony Petroski declined to comment beyond the news release.
Richmond, a 2004 Easton Area graduate, posted a 109-26 record, including two PIAA medals and two Northeast Regional championships under head coach Steve Powell.
He was part of Easton’s four consecutive PIAA Class 3A team tournament titles and two state individual tournament titles.
“He was a big part of those championship teams,” Powell said. “He did well at the tournament in Reno, where he beat [eventual] Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner. He worked so hard and always wanted to do so well.”
Sean Richmond, assistants brought Valley style, family approach to Stroudsburg wrestling program
Richmond, who graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008, was the only area wrestling coach who did double duty as an athletic director. He led the Stroudsburg wrestling program as one of the area’s most consistent winners in his eight seasons in charge.
The son of David and Tammy Richmond was 109-42 in his only head coaching job, including 12-7 this season at Stroudsburg. He previously was an assistant at his alma mater.
Sean Richmond sits with his wife and their daughters in this 2018 photo. (Contributed photo)”He put a lot of time into everything he did at Stroudsburg,” Powell said. “It didn’t matter whether it was football, baseball, the band, facilities, tennis. He had good help and a great [wrestling coaching] staff, but he put a lot of energy into everything he did.”
Richmond coached current Nebraska 184-pounder Lenny Pinto to three consecutive District 11 and Northeast Regional finals and a 2020 PIAA Class 3A championship.
Pinto called Anthony Marino, the Freedom wrestling head coach and a former Stroudsburg assistant under Richmond, on Sunday morning to find solace after hearing the news.
The conversation helped both of them, if only for a few minutes.
“I was trying to be strong for him,” Marino said. “Sometimes, bad things just happen for no rhyme or reason.
“Sean is, I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it, one of the best mentors I could have ever had in my life. He’s helped me get to where I am. He is the most selfless person I’ve ever met.”
A GoFundMe online fundraiser set up to support Richmond’s family had raised nearly $19,000 of its $20,000 goal as of about 6 p.m. Sunday.
“Sean was an awesome person,” Easton two-time PIAA champion and former head coach JaMarr Billman added, “who always saw the best in people and always wanted to have a positive impact on everyone he was around.
“He was a great coach who built young boys into men. But he was an even better father, husband and friend. I’m heartbroken.”
Stroudsburg superintendent Dr. Cosmas C. Curry said in a statement to district families Monday that Richmond, an outstanding athletic director, will be sorely missed.
“It is with a heavy heart and my deepest sympathies to all staff, students, and our greater school community, on the loss of Sean Richmond, our Athletic/Activities Director and our head wrestling coach. I grieve along with you as we are all devastated at his untimely passing. He was an outstanding athletic director poised to take on bigger roles in our School District and District XI,” he said.
“His wrestlers loved him and always had students’ best interests in mind. He was a great administrative teammate to me and many of you, and an even more tremendous friend. Sean’s service is most appreciated. He had a propensity for leadership in the athletics and activities department. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and we ask you to respect their privacy at this time. In this situation, words cannot adequately define feelings and emotions, I simply ask for your support as we mourn the loss of our colleague. He will be sorely missed.”
Saturday’s Bob Getz Memorial Golf outing, which benefits the District 11 wrestling officials scholarship and the wrestling coaches hall of fame scholarship, has been postponed due to Richmond’s viewing from 9 a.m. until noon at Stroudsburg High School.
There also will be viewing hours from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com.
