Jabari Hinson is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mountain View (Mesa) for AZPreps365.com 

MESA — It's not common for high school wrestling programs to have multiple former Division I college wrestlers on their staff.

That cannot be said for the Mountain View wrestling program.

“College athletes have a very unique skill set and experience they should be willing to share,” Mountain View (Mesa) assistant wrestling coach Nick Frost said. 

The Toros' staff features four former Division I wrestlers and soon a former Division II wrestler. Arizona State wrestling alumni are among them, including three-time NCAA tournament qualifier and Pac-10 champion Nick Frost (1999-2004) and former Arizona high school state champion Andy Gandara (2015-2019).

“It’s a very fulfilling feeling,” Gandara said about the chance to share his collegiate knowledge. “Wrestling has instilled so much in me, whether it’s hard work, grit or perseverance through failure. 

“I’m thankful to be in a position to be able to pay that forward to the next generation—especially being able to do that for kids in the Arizona community.”

Frost built a solid career at Arizona State in the early 2000s, but he still feels as if he’s learning just as much as his wrestlers. 

Frost pictured back in his competing days for ASU. Frost put together a solid career, capturing a Pac-10 conference title and making three appearances at the NCAA tournament. (Photo: Courtesy of Nick Frost)

“It definitely gives me confidence that I can help kids achieve whatever their goals are in the sport,” Frost said. “It gave me a great foundation in the sport, but wrestling has changed a ton recently.

“I feel like I’m learning every year almost as much as a lot of the kids are.”

Gandara was a more recent addition to the staff, which won the 2025 National Wrestling Coaches Association Regional Assistant Staff of the Year.

“It’s nice to be recognized,” Gandara said. “But it's really a reflection of the program coach Anderson and coach Frost have built.”

Frost (left) and Anderson (right) have been coaching together at Mountain View for the past ten seasons. The pair have helped keep Mountain View one of the most solid and consistent programs in the state. (Photo: Courtesy of Nick Frost)

Having coached alongside Frost for nearly a decade, head coach Corey Anderson considers Frost to be one of the best coaches in the state.

“He is just a different breed when it comes to wrestling,” Anderson said. “His stewardship is second-to-none—Nick Frost is universally liked and celebrated for good reason.”

Anderson said he firmly believes Frost’s impact on the Toro wrestlers is in a tier of its own. 

“Nick is a wealth of knowledge and spends countless hours helping kids get better,” Anderson said. “The kids love him and respect the hell out of him—they realize what an asset he is.”

Former Toro wrestler and state champion JJ Beauvais, who currently wrestles at the University of Wyoming, proves Anderson right in the amount of respect there is for Frost.

“Coach Frost inspired me to overcome hurdles I wouldn’t have been able to get past myself,” Beauvais said. “He helped me reach levels I imagined weren’t possible—I’m forever grateful for him and the impact he has had on my life."

Having coaches on his staff like Frost and Gandara has been a great way for Anderson to show his wrestlers that they can use wrestling as a “springboard” for opportunities beyond the mat.

Not only do the Toro wrestlers get Division I attention to detail and technique, but they get a blueprint for using wrestling to live a successful life.

“I realized the greatest thing wrestling gave me was a solid foundation for life and lifelong friendships,” Gandara said. “I’ve carried that perspective into coaching, where I value hard work, enjoying the sport and the process, not just winning, and being open to learning and humbling yourself.”

Anderson said he appreciates having the example of two former wrestlers that were great on the mat but also in the classroom, giving his wrestlers a pathway beyond the mat.

“Both of these guys used wrestling as a vehicle to better their lives, and ultimately that is our goal,” Anderson said.

With ASU offering the only Division I wrestling program in the state, Frost and Gandara are examples of local idols for young Arizona wrestlers. 

“It’s a great point of pride to be part of the Sun Devil wrestling family,” Gandara said. “Getting to take that experience and knowledge and pass it along to younger Arizona athletes is very rewarding.”

Gandara with ASU wrestling head coach Zeke Jones back in 2018 after being awarded the academic wrestler of the year for the 2017-18 season. (Photo: Larry Slater, courtesy of Andy Gandara)

Helping out the local community has always been a standard for Sun Devil wrestling. Being a former Sun Devil wrestler and the current head coach, Zeke Jones is happy to see alumni continuing the standard. 

Jones believes it is important for the wrestlers to give their time back to the community with all the privileges they earn as Division I student-athletes.

“We’re always grateful for the opportunity to serve our community as Sun Devil wrestlers,” Jones said. 

Although the Toros have plenty of new faces and turnover, graduating 11 seniors from last season, they don’t plan on this year being a rebuilding season. Anderson said he wants the Toros to remain committed to getting better with the help of Frost and Gandara.

“Honestly, constant improvement and getting better should always be the focus whether you are first or last in the state,” Anderson said.

“We will see where that takes us.”