“I am excited to announce that Keith Ferraro will be our next head wrestling coach here at Clarion,” said Katis. “As an assistant coach, and then as interim coach, Keith displayed all the attributes we wanted and needed to lead this program. He is a quality recruiter and administrator, has a strong knowledge of the sport of wrestling, is committed to developing the overall student-athlete and has the passion and desire to build a strong NCAA Division I program. Clarion is committed to having a strong, competitive wrestling team and we believe the wrestling program is in good hands with Keith Ferraro.

“I am honored to accept the position as head wrestling coach at Clarion University,” said Keith Ferraro. “I want to thank President Whitney, Harry Tripp, Dave Katis and the wrestling search committee for putting their faith in me to lead this prestigious wrestling program.”

Ferraro, the son of legendary Brookville Head Wrestling coach Lenny Ferraro, is a native of Brookville, Pa. and a 1999 Brookville High Grad. He wrestled 2 ½ years for his father, before his passing, and then finished his junior and then senior year under head coach Thad Turner. At Brookville Ferraro was a three-time District Champion 112-Fr.; 125-So.; 135-Sr.) and was part of the 1999 Brookville High School Dual Meet State Championship Team.

Keith went on to attend Lock Haven University, was part of the wrestling program for four seasons (2000 – 2003) and graduated in December of 2003 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. A volunteer coach at Central Mountain in the seasons of 2003 and 2004, Ferraro was the head coach at Brockway in the 2005 season, then took a position to teach at Brookville High School and became the assistant coach under Dave Klepfer from 2006 — 2012. In the 2011-12 season Brookville advanced 13 wrestlers to regionals, 5 to the PIAA Championships and as a team placed fourth in the state dual meet championships.

Ferraro was named Clarion’s assistant coach on July 31, 2012 under Troy Letters and he continued in that role until being named interim coach in September. The Recruiting Coordinator since his arrival, he was a major part of the highly rated Golden Eagle recruiting class for 2013-14 which was rated 9th in NCAA Division I by AWN/Open Mat and 15th by Flo Wrestling.

“Born and raised in the area, I have always been a fan of Clarion wrestling and overwhelmed by the level of support the program attracts from our alumni, the pin club, community and the institution. I am committed to advancing Clarion wrestling and will dedicate myself to reconnecting the program to its rich tradition.”

I believe it’s also very important to build the program the right way – namely with wrestlers who are dedicated student-athletes, that will not only advance the program athletically, but themselves and the university in the process. I hope to honor the past and men like coach Bubb, by building a program that everyone can be proud of.”

Ferraro and wife Meghan reside in Brookville with sons Lenny and Vincent.

CLARION WRESTLING NOTES: Keith Ferraro’s father, Lenny Ferraro, was posthumously inducted into the PA. Wrestling in the Class of 2011 … He was 86-55-4 at Johnsonburg High as head coach from 1974 – 1983. He was District 9 Class AA Coach of the Year in 1979 … Moved on to Brookville and assisted Les Turner until 1993 – then took over at Brookville in 1994 … He was 66-11 at Brookville and won two District 9 titles … He passed away in January of 1998 … Keith Ferraro is only the (8th) head coach at NCAA Division I Clarion since 1960. Frank Lignelli re-started the wrestling program in the Fall of 1959 and coached through 1966. Bob Bubb elevated the program to elite NCAA Division I status as head coach from 1967- 92, while Jack Davis mentored from 1993-97, Ken Nellis from 1998-2006. Teague Moore from 2007 – 2011, Matt Dernlan in 2012 and Troy Letters in 2013 and 2014… In dual meet history the Golden Eagles started the 2014-15 season with a mark of 530-348-13 over that time (1960-2014) … The program was re-started in the 1959-60 season under head coach Frank Lignelli … Lignelli was the coach from 1960-66 with a record of 61-12… He passed the torch to Bob Bubb, who from 1966-92, put Clarion wrestling on the national stage… Bubb had a career record of 322-121-4 … Bubb led Clarion to a 4th place team finish at D-I nationals in 1973, sixth in 1972 and 87 and eighth in 1992, his final season… Bubb coached 7 D-I champions, 3 college division champs, 27 All-Americans, 29 EWL winners and 68 PSAC champs … Bubb will be remembered for two special athletes, namely Wade Schalles and Kurt Angle… Both were named to the NCAA/NWCA 75th Anniversary Team in March of 2005… Schalles had an amazing career record of 153-5-1, won 2 NCAA titles and posted an NCAA record 106 pins … Angle also was a 2-time NCAA D-I Champion, posted a record of 116-10-2 and also won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 … On June 4, 2005, Bubb was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma …. Jack Davis was Clarion’s head coach from 1993-97 with a record of 43-34-5, Nellis (47-89-3; 1998-2006), and Moore (37-60-1)… Clarion has 8 D-I National Champions, 45 All-Americans, 54 EWL winners and 112 PSAC Champions… That also includes 14 PSAC and 3 EWL team titles…. In 2011 Clarion won the PSAC team title, placed fourth at EWL’s and qualified two wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Nationals in 157-lb James Fleming (West Mifflin) and 165-lb Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Tashkent, Uzbekistan)… In 2012 Clarion was third at PSAC’s, fourth at EWL’s and 18th at the NCAA Division I National Championships… Clarion had 2 D-I All-Americans in 2012 when Abdurakhmonov, a senior, finished third at 165-pounds, and Fleming, a junior, finished fifth at 157-pounds… Fleming became a two-time All-American in 2013 when he finished 8th at nationals – giving Clarion a 33rd place team finish.