After two seasons as Slippery Rock University's head wrestling coach, Jim Harshaw liked where he was and where the program was headed.

That's why his decision to resign was a difficult one to make.

Harshaw, 28, announced Monday he was stepping down as the headman at SRU.

"I loved my time here," said the 1994 Seneca Valley graduate, who led The Rock to a 13-26 record in dual matches. "There was nothing about my experience at Slippery Rock that went into this decision. I simply received an opportunity that was too good to pass up."

That opportunity is being the director of wrestling operations for Virginia camps with the Charlottesville Wrestling Club.

"I was surprised that he decided to leave after just two years," said SRU athletic director Paul Lueken. "He did a good job here. I hate to see him go, but I wish him the best."

Harshaw and his wife will be moving back to his college stomping grounds. He graduated from Virginia in 1999 with 102 collegiate victories to his credit.

"A lot of the wrestlers at Virginia work with the Charlottesville Wrestling Club," said Harshaw. "And I will be helping to train several wrestlers for the Olympics.

"I didn't apply for the position," added Harshaw. "I was happy at Slippery Rock. I was offered the job (in Virginia)."

Harshaw assisted at his alma mater for two seasons before accepting the coaching job at SRU.

He believes his stay with The Rock was invaluable.

"As an assistant, you really don't have any idea about the responsibility that falls to a head coach," he said. "I gained a lot of experience with budgets, fund-raisers and all the other aspects dealing with running a program.

"A lot of people don't realize how much work goes into it," Harshaw added. "There's six months out of the year that you're putting in 70 to 80 hours per week. But it's also a very rewarding job."

Harshaw coached five wrestlers at SRU who qualified for the NCAA Division I National Tournament: Adam Renner, Brad Cieleski, Ben Watson, Ben Young and Jason Cardillo.

"I grew attached to the wrestling program here," he said. "SRU has attracted some fine athletes. They're good guys who are very supportive of the direction the program is headed in."

"I was told before I came here that Slippery Rock's athletic department was like a family," said Harshaw. "And I experienced that."

"He had a good relationship with everybody he came in contact with," Lueken said.

Lueken said the search for Harshaw's replacement will begin immediately.