Ethan Rotondo is a prime example of what is possible if you have the right mindset, work hard, embrace challenges and believe in yourself.
Rotondo’s wrestling career started in Ceres, reached unexpected heights at Union High School in the state of Washington and culminated with an appearance at the NCAA Division-I Championships during his lone year at Cal Poly.
He joined the coaching ranks in 2023-24 when he became an assistant coach at Cal Poly.
“I’ve stuck with it for the longest time because it’s what I love to do,” Rotondo said.
Rotondo returned to his former hometown during the summertime.
He served as one of the lead instructors at the Fourth Annual California Champ Camp, which was staged July 26-27 at Central Valley High School.
Rotondo lived in Ceres for 12 years before moving to Washington with his family.
He attended Central Valley, Mae Hensley Jr. High and Virginia Parks Elementary School.
“It was surreal,” Rotondo stated. “It’s been over a decade since I was last there. It was fun seeing everyone again.”
“To have Ethan back in the room is a huge asset,” said Rob Beckhart, who coached Rotondo during his freshman year at Central Valley. “It’s a really cool thing. Everyone around here knows who he is and like him. For them (local wrestlers) to see someone that has had success shows them there are opportunities out there for them if they work hard.”
“I’m just happy to share what I’ve learned over the years and give people a path to do the same for themselves,” Rotondo added.
Rotondo’s college wrestling career spanned five years.
He spent his first four seasons at the University of Wisconsin. He transferred to Cal Poly for his final year of athletic eligibility.
Rotondo was supposed to wrestle for Boise State on scholarship coming out of high school but had to find a new home after the college’s wrestling program folded due to budget issues.
“College is a different beast,” Rotondo said. “I didn’t shy away from the competition. My goal was to be All-American. At the very least, I wanted to make it to Nationals. I didn’t become All-American. I got to experience Nationals. That’s a feat in itself. Deep down, that was always the goal.”
Rotondo won one of three matches while representing Cal Poly as a 133-pound grappler at the 2023 NCAA Division-I Championships.
“It was a really fun environment to wrestle in,” he said. “It lived up to what I thought it would be.”
“Everyone in this area is happy for him,” Beckhart said.
Seeded fourth, Rotondo placed third at the Pac-12 Championships to secure a berth to the NCAA Tournament. He won three of four matches.
Beckhart and his family watched from the stands at Stanford University as Rotondo realized his athletic dream of becoming a National qualifier.
“It’s one of the best tournaments I’ve had in my career,” Rotondo said. “I did great. I had a tough first half of the season. I wasn’t wrestling to my potential. The coaches didn’t give up on me.”
Rotondo also played a key role as Cal Poly claimed the Pac-12 Dual Meet title.
His 6-1 upset win against nationally-ranked Jason Shaner propelled the Mustangs to a 19-15 victory over the Oregon State Beavers.
“That was a lot of fun helping the team do that,” he said.
Rotondo amassed a 13-14 record during his lone season at Cal Poly.
He wrestled his best at the end of the year.
“My experience at Wisconsin helped me at Cal Poly,” he said. “I refined my technique. I went through a lot of changes. I got more savvy on the mat being around a lot of good wrestlers over my years. It takes a lot of hard work to keep wrestling.”
Rotondo finished his collegiate career with a 74-52 overall record.
“Looking back, there were a lot of changes that had to happen,” he said. “I had to respond to the changes positively. I learned a lot about life. I learned a lot about myself being independent. Wrestling has really made me the man I am today.”
Rotondo had a 168-15 record at the prep level.
He captured back-to-back state titles with Union High School. He made program history by becoming his school’s first-ever undefeated state champion junior year. He won all 40 of his matches.
Rotondo qualified for the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament, placed second at Divisionals and finished first at the Western Athletic Conference Championships as a 108-pound freshman at Central Valley High School.
He posted a 32-11 overall record. He tied for first on the team with most wins.
Rotondo earned a measure of redemption after failing to qualify for the CIF State Meet.
He captured the 100-pound title at the California USA High School Folkstyle State Tournament in Fresno.
“It did take me a while to enjoy competing,” Rotondo said. “Once I did that, that’s when I became a much better wrestler. I really loved every aspect of the sport. I loved the team environment. It’s shared suffering. You’re in the trenches with your teammates.”
“Ethan is an animal when it comes to working out and being ready to go,” Beckhart stated. “He doesn’t have a quit button. He’s developed a mental toughness you don’t see a lot in kids.”
Rotondo started wrestling in the sixth grade.
He honed his skills with the Ceres Hawks.
He was a member of the club for four years.
“I had to learn to love competing,” Rotondo said. “Once I did that, I started to have success. I’m very content with what I accomplished. You have to dream big to get to this point.”
“My dad (Brent) was a big inspiration for me and I attribute a lot of my success to him,” he added. “He wrestled Greco-Roman in the Marines and was very passionate about the sport. He was my first coach and definitely helped me exceed any expectations I had for myself.”
Rotondo earned his bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences and certificates in Digital Studies and Graphic Design at Wisconsin.
He’s currently working on his master’s degree in Packaging Value Chain at Cal Poly.
Rotondo will begin his third season as an assistant coach with the Mustangs this winter.
“I never expected to become a college coach,” he said. “It wasn’t until COVID when I was coaching a group of high schoolers out of my parents’ garage that I really thought about coaching as a profession. Coach Sioredas and Coach Chewy really surprised me by asking me to stay on board at Cal Poly, but I’m so grateful they did. We’re building a great program and great men in San Luis Obispo. I’m so happy to be a part of it.”
