Pat Cerroni
2017
Pat Cerroni has been named the Johnson Creek Education Foundation’s 2017 Distinguished Alumnus, an award that is presented annually to a Johnson Creek graduate who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in his profession.
Cerroni graduated from Johnson Creek High School in 1984 and acknowledges he never could have imagined he would reach such heights as a successful and revered college football coach. As a high school football player, he was an offensive guard and inside linebacker under the direction of coaches Les Gray, Don Liebmann, Gary Guerin, Don Jarvis and Jim Braunschweig. He has fond memories of those coaches, remarking that they were great people and mentors. Not knowing what his future held, Cerroni went into the military, serving in the U.S. Air Force from 1984-1988. Although he had no plans for attending college when he left high school, his plans changed and following the military he earned a Bachelor’s Degree from Carroll College in 1992 and later a Master’s Degree from UW-Oshkosh in 2004.
He began his coaching career as assistant football coach at Hartland Arrowhead High School and went on to Waukesha Catholic Memorial High School. In 1997 he taught history and become head coach at Menomonee Falls High School where he guided the Indians to a 7-4 record. Cerroni credits the coaches he worked with during these years with teaching him all aspects of coaching, calling them the best football coaches in the state. In the year 2000, Cerroni became the defensive coordinator of the UW-Oshkosh Titans and the head coach in 2007. During the historic 2016 season, Cerroni guided the Titans to victory against six of their seven opponents that advanced to the NCAA postseason. UW-Oshkosh finished second to defending national runner-up UW-Whitewater in the WIAC standings, but the Titans received an at-large berth into the 32 team field for the first time in program history and concluded the season ranked second in the country.
The accomplishments of his players over the years are many. He has coached 39 players to 53 All-WIAC First Team laurels, 29 players to 32 All-Region citations and 16 players to 19 All-America selections. Titan quarterback Nate Wara was named the NCAA Division III Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 by D3football.com, and punter Nate Ray was chosen to the NCAA Division II-III, NAIA Little America Second Team in 2014 by the Associated Press.
Cerroni has also received recognition for his coaching achievements. He was named the AFCA Region 5 and WIAC Coach of the Year in 2012 and 2015. Cerroni, the winningest coach in the 122-year history of the UW-Oshkosh football program, was also selected as the 2012 West Region Coach of the Year by D3football.com.
Cerroni and his UW-Oshkosh football team have performed several community service projects, including events associated with the Oshkosh Boys and Girls Club, Oshkosh YMCA, Habitat for Humanity, Old Glory Honor Flight and Feeding America. In 2015, Cerroni received the Excellence in Leadership Award for his work with Be The Match, a National Marrow Donor Program.
Cerroni and his wife, Tammy, are the parents of daughter, Kali, and son, Kyle.