Ferraro Sr., Schleicher inducted into state wrestling hall of fame
Former Easton three-time District 11 champion and legendary college coach Bob Ferraro Sr. and former Allen state champion and two-time college All-American Scott Schleicher were among the 13 enshrined into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame at Mountainview Country Club on Sunday in Boalsburg.
The event combined the groups from 2020 and 2021 by the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association, which has recognized the state’s most distinguished in the sport since 1970. Gene Waas, former standout District 11 wrestler and official, served as the Hall of Fame chairman.
Ferraro Sr. graduated from Easton Area High School in 1966. He won a Northeast Regional championship under Hall of Fame coach John Maitland and lost in the 1966 PIAA Championships to eventual state champion Allen Uyeda from Conestoga Valley in the semifinals.
The 1971 Indiana State graduate was a two-time captain of the Sycamores and was 93-4 with 62 falls. 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.
In 1970, Ferraro received the Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award and the Outstanding Leadership Award. He became Bucknell’s head coach in 1973. From 1989-1997, Ferraro founded and served as the Executive Director of the National High School Coaches Association. From 1997 to 2015, he served as the NHSCA’s chief executive officer. He was selected to serve on the Board of Visitors at the United States Sports Academy in 2005.
Ferraro was also named the Man of the Year by USA Wrestling Magazine in 2006. Bob also received the WIN Magazine Impact Award in 2009, an award given each year to the person and/or organization that had the greatest impact on the sport of wrestling at all levels from across the country.
During his coaching career at Bucknell, Ferraro produced 44 ECC and ECWA champions plus 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. He was also inducted into the Indiana State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame-PA Chapter in 2016. In 1989, Ferraro also founded the National High School Senior Wrestling Championships and the National Wrestling Coaches Convention.
He owns two United States patents and is the inventor of the Air Brace kneepad.
Schleicher is a 1985 Allen graduate and a 1990 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In high school, he was a two-time Class 3A state qualifier and was also a two-time state place-winner while competing for his father, Don Schleicher.
In 1984, Scott finished second in the District 11 and Northeast Regional tournaments, the lost to Waynesboro’s
Kurt Bowman in the 145-pound state semifinals. He finished fourth.
The following year, Schleicher rolled into the 145-pound state title bout after recording three convincing wins. He then defeated York Vo Tech’s Mark Banks to become Allen’s second state champion. He was 69-5 at Allen.
Schleicher competed for coaches Ed Peery and Reg Wicks at the U.S. Naval Academy. He served as team captain in 1990 and qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships four years (1987-90). He won the 1989 EIWA title and was a two-time NCAA All-American (1989-90). In 1989, Schleicher was third.
The following year, he lost 11-7 to Oklahoma State freshman Pat Smith in the final. Schleicher was 111-21 at Navy.
Others honorees were: Bob Ferraro Jr. (District 4), Dave Ciafre (District 10), Tim Flynn (Districts 6, 10), Jarrod King (District 7), Joel Kislin (District 2), Walter Peppelman (District 3), Frank Vulcano (District 7), Nathan Galloway (District 6), Dr. John Hosage (District 2), Craig Phillips (District 10) and Doug Wyland (District 7).