St. Rita of Cascia High School Announces New Head Wrestling Coach

CHICAGO – Deacon John Donahue, J.D. Ed.D., President of St. Rita of Cascia High School, announced Ryan Klinger as our new Head Wrestling Coach.

Klinger grew up in Oak Lawn. He attended Sward Elementary and McGugan Jr. High, attending religious education at St. Linus. He went to St. Rita of Cascia High School, graduating in 2003. Klinger continued his education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, concentrating in education. Following that, he attended North Dakota State University and graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in University Studies with an emphasis in Health.

At St. Rita, Klinger thrived as a wrestler, earning several prestigious achievements. He was a 4-year varsity wrestler, a 3x state placer, a 1x individual state champion, a 1x team state champion, and captain of the 2003 wrestling state championship team. After graduating, Klinger came back home and helped his fellow Mustangs, serving as the assistant varsity wrestling coach from 2010 until 2013 and a volunteer coach from 2022 until 2024.

In college, Klinger continued his wrestling career as a member of the 2005 big ten championship team for the University of Illinois and wrestled Division I for the Bison at North Dakota State University.

For the last 13 years, Klinger has been pursuing a career in business. Recently, he served as a commercial lines consultant at USI Insurance Services from 2022 until 2024.

“Being back at St. Rita, I am most excited about instilling our traditions within our Ritamen and mentoring them as they grow into young men,” Klinger said. “I want to continue displaying a strong sense of Mustang pride and school spirit amongst the student body, faculty, and the St. Rita Family.”

Klinger will also get to showcase St. Rita High School’s traditions and school spirit to prospective families as he will be working closely with our admissions team by accepting a secondary role as an Admissions Coordinator.

“St. Rita High School gave me the best four-year experience of my life and now it’s time for me to pay it forward,” Klinger said. “I want every student, alumni, and member of the St. Rita Family who walks through our doors to feel the comfort of being at home like I feel when I walk through those doors every day.”

Klinger has been happily married to his wife, Jade, for six years. Together, they have two sons, Monte Bourke ‘26 and Colton Klinger.

Ryan invites all 6th grade boys through incoming freshmen to his first wrestling summer camp with St. Rita beginning next week from July 29 - August 2 from 10 AM - 12 PM. Here, campers will learn different wrestling techniques, including stances, positioning, set-up, takedowns, escapes, and reversals. We encourage all those interested to please come out, meet, and welcome Ryan back home! Click here to register!