Class of 2025

Jason Potter,

St. Charles East/University of Illinois

Wrestler/Coach

 

Jason Potter has definitely established a high standard for wrestling in St. Charles not only as an athlete at St. Charles High School but also in coaching at the school that he attended, St. Charles East High School, as a coach.

Jason became the first two-time IHSA state champion for the Fighting Saints in 1999 when he captured his second-straight Class AA championship at 171 pounds after finishing fourth at 152 pounds in his sophomore season. He posted a 126-7 record during those three seasons.

He also was a member of the school’s first team that advanced to the IHSA Dual Team Finals in 1997 that lost to eventual Clas AA champion Providence Catholic in the semifinals before winning 25-24 over Waubonsie Valley to claim third place and the program’s first trophy, which was coached by Mick Ruettiger, a 2020 recipient of the IWCOA’s Lifetime Service Award.

Then as a coach, he led his 2022-23 team to a 22-1 record and its first IHSA title after they defeated Marmion Academy 28-24 for the Class 3A championship. The next season, he led another team to the Dual Team Finals and they finished 22-1 after claiming third place in 3A, the first time the Fighting Saints had advanced to state in consecutive years.

Jason has also had the opportunity during the last few seasons to coach three individuals who won multiple state titles: Ben Davino (2021-2024), a four-time high school state champion (three-time IHSA champion and 2021 IWCOA title winner); Dom Munaretto (2022-2025), currently a two-time IHSA champion and three-time finalist; and Jayden Colon (2022-2024), a two-time IHSA title winner.

He started his career with the St. Charles Wrestling Club when he was five years old, and continues to coach with the club to this day.

Following his high school career, Jason went on to be a four-year letter winner from 2001-2004 for the University of Illinois, where he competed for IWCOA Hall of Fame coaches Mark Johnson and Jim Heffernan. Those teams all finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Tournament. Jason was an NCAA qualifier in 2002 and was one of three captains during his senior season.

He began his coaching career at Leyden High School in Franklin Park and he went 106-37 in his seven seasons with the Eagles. In 2012, he became the head coach at St. Charles East and now has had 19-straight winning seasons in his 20-year career. This was his 13th season with the Fighting Saints and his teams have gone 262-48 while his career record is 368-85.

His 2022-23 state championship team set several school records, with 11 state qualifiers, nine medalists, four finalists and three champions. He received the IWCOA’s Class 3A Head Coach of the Year Award in 2023.