With a true passion for the sport, Castellari cultivated a strong presence on and off the mat and produced bumper crops of successful wrestlers during his coaching career.

A standout at Buena Regional High School, Castellari compiled a 91-5-1 record with three District 31 titles, a Region 8 title and a third-place finish at the NJSIAA State Wrestling championships during his senior season in 1980.

Castellari remained in the Delaware Valley and wrestled at Temple University, where he won 109 career matches and was a two-time captain for the Owls. A two-time NCAA Division I qualifier, Castellari placed eighth in the country earning All-American status at 134 pounds in 1984.

As successful as he was on the mat, Castellari made an even bigger impact off it.

Castellari returned to his alma mater where he built the Chiefs into a perennial powerhouse and became one of the most respected head coaches in the Garden State with over 300 wins on his resume.

Under Castellari’s guidance, Buena won 14 Cape-Atlantic League championships along with five sectional titles and finished second in the state three times before retiring in 2013. He coached 60 district champions, 15 region champs and 15 state place winners.

A South Jersey Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee in 2016, Castellari was awarded the District 31 Coach of the Year honor 10 times and the Region 8 Coach of the Year award three times.

He remains close to Buena wrestling, working as the Booster Club president and a coach with the midget program.

Castellari works as a farmer at Buena Vista Farms. He and his wife, Maria, live in Vineland and have three adult children – Eric, Daina and Nicole.