Saint Ignatius High School

Saint Ignatius named Tom Kaufman the 24th Head Football Coach in program history on December 15, 2025. In the 112-year history of Saint Ignatius Football, it was the school's first-ever nationwide search for a football coach. The search, which focused on leadership, relationship building, competitive excellence, and alignment with the mission of Saint Ignatius, was exhaustive, resulting in over 80 applications from 30 different states and including candidates from high school, small college, and Division I college football levels. Saint Ignatius boasts 732 program wins, 10th most in Ohio, and 11 OHSAA State Titles, the most of any Ohio High School Division I Football program.

Kaufman brings 21 years of experience to Ohio City, having coached at both the high school and collegiate levels. He most recently served as Head Football Coach at Marietta College, his first head coaching role at the college level. Prior to Marietta, he was the Head Football Coach at Gilmour Academy in Gates Mills. He would lead the Lancers to their first 12-win season and earn Gilmour Academy its first Regional Championship berth. He brings a 21-5 high school record to Saint Ignatius. 

Kaufman is a 1998 Lake Catholic graduate, playing for Ohio High School Hall of Fame Coach John Gibbons. He would go on to play linebacker at John Carroll University and, in his senior year, would be named a Team Captain. He would earn All-OAC and All-OAC Academic honors. Kaufman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from John Carroll and a Master of Arts in Education from Heidelberg University. 

Coaching stops for Kaufman include Kent State University as Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Coordinator at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and a part of Tom Arth's '99 staff. Other Division I experiences include Syracuse, Bowling Green, Texas, Kansas, and Mississippi. 

Milestones for Kaufman have included Bowl wins in the Frisco Bowl (2019), GoDaddy Bowl (2015), Camellia Bowl (2014), and Holiday Bowl (2011). He boasts Conference Championships in the MAC East (2014, 2021), having also won a conference championship in 2015 with Bowling Green State University. Kaufman was also a part of the Ohio Valley Conference Championships in 2012 and 2013 with Eastern Illinois University. 

Kaufman, a Willowick native, is married to his wife, Stephanie, and has two sons, Jack and Max. He will also serve as an assistant athletic director. 
 

The Tom Kaufman File

Title	Head Coach
High School	Lake Catholic '98
College	John Carroll '03 (BA) / Heidelberg '05 (MA)
Experience	21st season / 1st at Saint Ignatius
Record at Saint Ignatius	0-0
Overall Record (HS)	21-5