Robert Ferraro was an outstanding wrestler at Easton High School and Indiana State University, where he wrestled for Hall of Famer Gray Simons. 

Bob was a two-time All-American, finishing fourth in 1969 and second in 1970, and had a career record of 93-4. He avenged the national finals loss to Mike Grant of Oklahoma with a victory in the East-West All-Star Meet. As a senior he was named Indiana State’s Outstanding Male Athlete while also earning the Outstanding Leadership Award. He was awarded his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ISU. 

After coaching one year at the high school level, Bob became head coach at Bucknell University. He was the Bison coach from 1973 to 1997 and had 44 ECC and ECWA champions and four NCAA All-Americans. He was named ECWA Coach of the Year three times. 

Bob founded the National High School Coaches Association, the High School Senior Nationals Wrestling Championships and started the first National Wrestling Coaches Convention. After retiring from Bucknell, he became the executive director of the NHSCA has served as its CEO since 2007. In 1990, ESPN televised the first High School Senior Nationals, described as the first true national championship for any high school sport. 

He is a member of the District 4 and District 11 Wrestling Halls of Fame and the Indiana State University Sports Hall of Fame. He was USA Wrestling’s Man of the Year in 2006 and received the Impact Award from WIN Magazine in 2009.