Sam Geraci

Class of 2013

Roselle (Lake Park)

A 1988 graduate of Lake Park High School, Sam Geraci was a four-time state qualifier, three-time state finalist and the 105-pound 1986 IHSA State Champion. He wrestled for IWCOA Hall of Fame coach Jerry Ancona, who coached him to a record breaking 181-10-1 through his four-year high school career. Geraci is still ranked in the top 10 for all-time most wins and was one of the legendary three IWCOA Hall of Fame wrestlers (Geraci, Pustelnik & Morris) who traded titles each year for three years.

Geraci was a three-time Greco State Champion, earning Outstanding Wrestler honors twice as well as a three-time Freestyle State Champion. He was a 1987 Greco Junior National Champion where he won the Gorrian Award for the most falls (10 pins and one tech fall) in least amount of time. In addition, Geraci was a two-time Greco Junior World Team Member, as well as a Freestyle Junior World Team Member. He won the Junior Pan-Am Games in Greco, was an Espoir National Champion, Olympic Festival Champion, and Oklahoma Classic Invitational Champion.

He attended Indiana University (Bloomington) on a full scholarship; however after his freshmen year he transferred to Garden City Community College (Kansas) where he won the 1990 NJCAA title at 118lbs.

Geraci went to work at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange after his sophomore season. He was also an Assistant Coach at Lake Park High School under Jerry Ancona from 1994-1996.

He took a break after many years of wrestling, but in his desire to give back to the sport he started Headlock Wrestling Academy in 2009, an IKWF chartered team during the Folk style season for kids in grades K-8. Headlock also trains kids from kindergarten through high school for the Freestyle and Greco post-season.

Geraci and his wife Nancy have three children; Anthony (11), who also wrestles, Ali (10), and Gaby (6) and has resided in Addison, IL for the past 13 years.