July 7, 2008
Contact: Brian McCann
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jack Effner, who won 71 dual matches and sent 37 wrestlers to compete at the NCAA Championships in his 10 seasons as head wrestling coach at Cleveland State, has resigned his position in order to accept a school counseling position in Virginia. The resignation is effective August 2, 2008.
"I would like to thank Jack for the dedication that he has shown during his 10 years at Cleveland State," CSU Director of Athletics Lee Reed said. "Because of his effort, he is leaving the program in good shape and it should be easy to find a successor. I wish Jack good luck in his new position."
Effner, who was hired in May of 1998 as only the second head coach of the wrestling program in CSU modern day history, compiled a 71-91-3 record in his 10 seasons at CSU. He owns a 158-133-8 mark in 19 seasons overall that includes an 87-42-5 mark in nine seasons at Army.
Effner took over as head wrestling coach in 1998-99 after Dick Bonacci left after 36 seasons as head coach. In just his second season, he guided the Vikings to a 9-8-1 record, the program's first winning season in eight years. He sent wrestlers to the NCAA Championships in each of his 10 seasons, extending the Viking streak of representation at the national tournament to 43 straight years.
Both of Effner's sons, Jason and Marcus, wrestled for him at CSU. Marcus, who will be a fifth-year senior in 2008-09 wrestled at the NCAA Championships as both a freshman (2005) and junior (2007). Jason was a four-year starter, winning 64 bouts at 157 and 165. He remained at his alma mater the last three seasons, serving as Director of Wrestling Operations.
"I really appreciate the opportunity that Cleveland State gave me 10 years ago and I will look back on this time with a lot of great memories," Effner said. "My time at Cleveland State has been a real good experience for me and my family but it just felt like it was time for me to travel a different path."
A two-time All-American at Indiana State, Effner earned his undergraduate degree in Industrial Education from ISU in 1986 and went on to earn master's degrees in Industrial Education from Clemson in 1993 and in Counseling and Education from Long Island University in 1997.
A national search for Effner's successor will begin immediately.
