Geneva Wrestling Coach Cerjan Named Ashtabula County Coach of the Year

Cerjan led Eagles to county title, sent first wrestler to state tournament since 2021.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 8:49pm

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Geneva wrestling coach Ron Cerjan was named the 2025-26 Ashtabula County Wrestling Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to the county championship and sending their first wrestler to the state tournament since 2021.

Why it matters

Cerjan's award recognizes his efforts to rebuild the once-successful Geneva wrestling program over the past several years, culminating in a strong 2025-26 season that saw the team win the county title and qualify a wrestler for the state tournament.

The details

Cerjan, who wrestled for Geneva in the late 1980s, teamed up with head coach Chris Stamper in 2013 to start rebuilding the program after it had declined following the departure of longtime coach Dwight Fritz. This season, the Eagles won the inaugural Ashtabula County Wrestling Tournament, had nine wrestlers reach the championship matches, and qualified 126-pounder Tanner Williams for the Division II state tournament, the first Eagle to compete in Columbus since 2021.

  • Cerjan wrestled for Geneva in the late 1980s.
  • Cerjan teamed up with head coach Chris Stamper in 2013 to start rebuilding the program.
  • Cerjan is in his fifth year as the head coach.
  • The Eagles won the first Ashtabula County Wrestling Tournament in early February 2026.
  • Tanner Williams qualified for the Division II state tournament in 2026.

The players

Ron Cerjan

The head wrestling coach at Geneva High School who was named the 2025-26 Ashtabula County Wrestling Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to the county championship and sending their first wrestler to the state tournament since 2021.

Chris Stamper

The head wrestling coach at Geneva High School who teamed up with Cerjan in 2013 to start rebuilding the program.

Tanner Williams

A 126-pound wrestler for the Geneva Eagles who qualified for the Division II state tournament in 2026, the first Eagle to compete in Columbus since 2021.

Dominic Palmisano

A 175-pound wrestler for the Geneva Eagles who placed sixth at the Kenston District Tournament in 2026.

Caleb Selman

A Geneva wrestler who competed at the state tournament in 2021, the last time an Eagle qualified for the state meet before Tanner Williams in 2026.

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What they’re saying

“I was very excited to know that I got coach of the year, but I could not have done that without the team that I put out there the whole season.”

— Ron Cerjan, Head Wrestling Coach, Geneva High School

“We had a tough draw. In our first match, we had to wrestle the guy who was the projected state runner up, and sure enough, he was the state runner up. We had to battle back in the consolation and lost a tight one, 4-2. I think, if we got past that one, we would have gotten to the podium. It just didn't go our way.”

— Ron Cerjan, Head Wrestling Coach, Geneva High School

“Following a strong season, we will be graduating three core wrestlers, whose contributions will be difficult to replace. However, we return a solid foundation with six juniors, one sophomore and two freshmen, along with additional talent developing in the weight room. With this group, we are well-positioned to build on this year's momentum as we move into next season.”

— Ron Cerjan, Head Wrestling Coach, Geneva High School

What’s next

Cerjan and the Geneva wrestling team will look to build on their successful 2025-26 season and send more wrestlers to the state tournament in 2027.

The takeaway

Cerjan's award and the Eagles' strong season highlight the successful rebuilding of the once-proud Geneva wrestling program, which is now well-positioned to continue its resurgence and produce more state qualifiers in the years to come.