Ben Stehura (Photo/CSU Athletics)Four months after resigning as head wrestling coach at Cleveland State University, Ben Stehura has been named to head up the wrestling program at West Geauga High School just east of Cleveland, the News-Herald reported Wednesday.
Stehura announced his resignation from Cleveland State in late March after ten years at the helm of the Viking mat program.
So how did the former coach at a large urban university land a job at an 800-student high school in a rural-trending-suburban area couple dozen miles from downtown Cleveland?
"It was such a coincidence how it happened," Stehura told the News-Herald. "They called me for a reference on one of my former athletes. We started talking, and it just went from there."
Stehura takes over the program from longtime coach Joe Marino, who stepped down after last season.
"I'm excited for the opportunity at West Geauga," Stehura said.
Stehura's new boss shares in that excitement.
"We're really excited to have a guy who was the head coach at Cleveland State," West Geauga Athletic Director Tim Skoczen said. "He's a phenomenal guy. I am impressed with him. We really lucked out on this one."
Stehura brings impressive credentials as a wrestler and coach to West Geauga High. The Ohio native wrestled at Pennsylvania's Lock Haven University before launching his coaching career as head coach at Limestone College. After five years at the South Carolina school, Stehura returned to his home state to Cleveland State. In his ten years as head coach, Stehura guided Viking wrestlers to five Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) titles and nine NCAA Division I Championships berths.
West Geauga High School is a four-year public high school located in Chesterland, Ohio just outside the metropolitan Cleveland area.
