Posted
September 15, 2026
Long before Mark Jayne ’00 wrestled his first match for St. Edward, the sport had been part of his life. Growing up in Elyria, he spent countless hours around the wrestling room as his father, Frank, coached at Elyria High School and in the youth ranks before beginning his remarkable 29-year career at St. Edward. With the support of his mother, Karen, and the example of his older brother, Eddie ’94, Jayne grew up in a family where wrestling was a way of life. Eddie paved the way, becoming a national champion and the Eagles’ second three-time state champion (HOF Class of 2009), showing his brother what hard work and determination could make possible.
At St. Edward, Mark became one of the most accomplished wrestlers in program history, helping lead the Eagles to four Ohio state championships and two national championships. He won three individual state titles, three Ironman championships, and became the first-ever wrestler to capture four Medina Invitational titles. He also earned USA Dream Team recognition and was named the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Lee Kemp Wrestler of the Year. He graduated as the winningest wrestler in St. Edward history, capping a remarkable run as an Eagle.
Jayne credits his family, coaches and teammates with fueling his competitive drive. Trips to NCAA championships, the Olympics and world competitions exposed him to wrestling at its highest levels, while watching VHS tapes of Iowa’s powerhouse Brands brothers helped shape the aggressive style he brought to the mat. His father’s extensive collection of instructional videos and match footage—“the original YouTube for wrestling,” Jayne recalls—gave his teammates and him another edge.
Among his favorite St. Edward memories is defeating nationally renowned Blair Academy on their home mat in 1998. A year after falling to the New Jersey powerhouse, the Eagles returned and earned a victory televised by ESPN. But Jayne remembers the relationships as much as the championships—the teammates who made even the toughest days of training enjoyable.
At the University of Illinois, Jayne became a two-time NCAA All-American and Big Ten champion, a USA Wrestling national champion, and a champion at both the Midlands and Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitationals. He also served as a two-time team captain and earned three Academic All-American honors. He graduated in 2005 with a degree in kinesiology and later earned a master’s degree in educational technology from Baldwin Wallace University.
Today, Jayne is an elementary teacher in the Avon School District and head wrestling coach at Avon High School, passing along many of the lessons he learned along the way. He and his wife, Caitlin, have been married for eight years and are the parents of Cecilia (11), Audrey (8), and Everett (7).