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Bob Ferraro, Sr.

Bob Ferraro, Sr.

Bob Ferraro, Sr.
A 1966 graduate of Easton Area High School in Easton, Pennsylvania and a 1971 graduate of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. He earned a BS degree in 1971 and an MS degree in 1972 from Indiana State University where he served for two years as a graduate assistant wrestling coach under the legendary Gray Simons.

At Indiana State, Ferraro sported a 93-4 record during his collegiate wrestling career which included 62 falls. He only had one loss in regular season competition during his entire college wrestling career. His .959 winning percentage is the best in school history. He was a two-time NCAA Division I All American at 150 pounds, finishing fourth and second in the NCAA Championships in 1969 and 1970 respectively. He also won by fall at 150 pounds in the East-West All Star Meet his senior year by revenging a loss against Mike Grant from Oklahoma at the NCAA championship finals. In 1970 he received the Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award as well as the Outstanding Leadership Award at Indiana State University.

In 1972, Bob taught health education at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Pennsylvania and served as an assistant wrestling coach. Bob joined the staff at Bucknell University in 1973 as the head wrestling coach and Director of Recreation and served at that capacity until 1997. From 1989-2007, Ferraro served as the Executive Director of the NHSCA. From 2007 – 2016, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of the NHSCA. He became the NHSCA Executive Chairman in 2017.

Bob was also inducted into the Indiana State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2004. Bob was selected to serve on Board of Visitors at the United States Sports Academy in 2005. He was also named the Man of the Year by USA Wrestling Magazine in 2006. Bob also received the WIN Magazine Impact Award in 2009. This award is given each year to the person and organization that had the greatest impact on the sport of wrestling at all levels from across the country. In 2011, Bob was selected to serve on the HBO Creative Coalition Be A Star Advisory Council. Bob was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at a dinner hosted by the Pennsylvania Chapter in 2016. In 2017, Bob was honored at a dinner hosted by the Foundation for Easton Schools and received the Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2018, Bob was inducted at a dinner into the Easton High School Wall of Fame, honoring his athletic achievements. In 2021, Bob was inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame along with his son Bobby.

During his coaching career at Bucknell University, Ferraro produced 44 conference champions as well as four NCAA All Americans. He was voted ECWA coach of the year in 1986, 87, and 92. Ferraro was inducted into the District 11 and District 4 Hall of Fames in 1984 and 1992 respectively. In 1989, Ferraro founded the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA), National High School Senior Wrestling Championships, and the National Wrestling Coaches Convention. In 1990, the inaugural NHSCA High School Senior Nationals was covered by ESPN. Scholastic Sports America’s recognized the historical significance of the event on air and pointed out that it was the first true national championship in any high school sport in America.

Ferraro owns two United States patents and is the inventor of the Air Brace knee pad. Bob is the co-founder of Fusfoo High School Digital Network, which is used in high school across America Ferraro and his wife Jeanne are the parents of a son Robert, and two daughters, Robin and Jaime. They have six grandchildren.