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| After 33 seasons, Geno DeMarco will be stepping down as Geneva's football coach. Geneva athletics photo by Kevin Cooke |
Geno DeMarco, the longest-serving head football coach in Geneva College history, will lead the Golden Tornadoes through his final season at the helm in 2025, his 33rd campaign. DeMarco enters the 2025 season with a school record 167 victories. He will be stepping down at the end of the season and will continue to serve the College and the football program in an assistant role.
DeMarco has been on the sidelines as Geneva's head coach since the fall of 1993, which makes him the longest active tenured coach in NCAA Division III and tied for the longest active tenured head coach at any level of the NCAA. In 2003, DeMarco surpassed his predecessor, Gene Sullivan, for the longest tenured coach in Geneva's football history that started in 1890.
"No one is more dedicated than Geno DeMarco to the Geneva College mission," said Geneva president Calvin Troup. "He has worked to advance the ministry of education at Geneva through athletics for more than 30 years. His faith in Christ has permeated his service as a coach, building a football program invested in producing greater Christian maturity in young men, and we are grateful. His remarkable commitment to excellence in football and in life leaves him with few peers among all college football coaches today."
During DeMarco's tenure, the Golden Tornadoes qualified for the NAIA national tournament four times and the NCCAA Victory Bowl six times. Geneva leads all NCCAA schools with five Victory Bowl championships. Geneva has been invited to a total of 13 postseason appearances during DeMarco's time on the sidelines.
DeMarco has garnered several honors through his career including his induction into the New Brighton sports hall of fame (1996), Beaver County sports hall of fame (2005), NCCAA hall of fame (2023), and nine Coach of the Year honors in the NAIA and NCCAA.
"Geno DeMarco's commitment to his players and team is at the core of what it means to serve as a coach at Geneva College," said Van Zanic, Chief Athletic Officer. "Coach DeMarco has used his coaching platform for over three decades to prepare young men for their calling after graduation. The coaching landscape in Beaver County has in many ways been shaped by the Geno DeMarco coaching tree." Since DeMarco started as the head coach in 1993, he has coached nearly 200 young men who themselves have entered the coaching profession, many of which have become head coaches throughout the region.
Zanic continued, "We are excited that Coach DeMarco will remain with the program to help the next head coach move the program forward, much like the way Coach Sullivan supported him in his early days on the sideline. Whoever follows Coach DeMarco as Geneva's next head football coach will be stepping into some very large shoes."
Geneva will conduct a national search for its next head football coach immediately following the completion of the 2025 season.
Geneva opens the 2025 season on the road at Widener University on Sept. 6. The Golden Tornadoes play their home opener at Reeves Field on Sept. 13 at 7:00 pm when they host Shenandoah.