St. Ignatius High School is welcoming a new head football coach for the 2026 season. The school announced on Monday that Tom Kaufman will be taking on the role.
Kaufman is coming from Marietta College, where, as the head football coach this past season, he led the team to a 26-10 record. In his 21-year coaching career, he has experience with both college and high school levels, St. Ignatius said.
"What draws me deeply to Saint Ignatius is its commitment to forming young men of character, purpose, and service," Kaufman said in a statement. "In every program I've led, our culture has been built on love, action, and connection—values that align closely with the Ignatian tradition of educating the whole person. When a team embraces those principles, growth follows on every level: athletically, academically, and as leaders in the community."
Before his time at Marietta College, Kaufman led Gilmour Academy's football team to a school-record 12 wins and the program's first Elite 8 appearance, St. Ignatius said.
Kaufman has deep Northeast Ohio roots, as he was a 1988 graduate of Lake Catholic High School and went on to play as a linebacker at John Carroll University, where he earned All-Conference and Academic All-Conference honors, St. Ignatius said.
"I'm eager to build meaningful relationships with our students, families, and youth football partners as we work together to develop the next generation of Wildcats. Our program will strive for excellence with humility—featuring an explosive offense, an aggressive and disciplined defense, and special teams that reflect the attention to detail this community expects. Most importantly, we will be a team that competes with gratitude, serves others generously, and represents Saint Ignatius with integrity and heart," Kaufman said in a statement.
Kaufman is stepping into the role after the Wildcats went 1-9 this season, ending with former head coach Ryan Franzinger's resignation. Kaufman will be the team's 24th coach in its 112-year history.
Following Franzinger's resignation, St. Ignatius launched its first-ever nationwide search for a coach, receiving over 80 applications from 30 states, ultimately landing on Kaufman.
"Throughout the interview process, Coach Kaufman articulated a clear vision for what he wants to build here at Saint Ignatius: a program that values competitive excellence, teamwork, discipline, and the holistic development of our young men. He understands the importance of culture and character in a successful program and is committed to preparing our student-athletes not just for the next level on the field, but for life beyond it," St. Ignatius Athletic Director Rory Fitzpatrick said in a statement.
In addition to his role as head coach, Kaufman will also serve as the school's assistant athletic director.
