Biography

Although his impact on Blair’s success and his place in the history of Blair’s rich 84 year-old tradition of wrestling are definitive, Buxton is better known around campus as a complete educator. A graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Buxton teaches three upper level math courses and is also an academic monitor for the postgraduate class. He has made it a hallmark of his coaching to emphasize not only excellence on the mat but in the classroom and the community as well. Currently, there are approximately 40 former Blair wrestlers who are competing in college. Even though Blair’s high school team has recently experienced several successes at the highest level, winning has never been at the center of Coach Buxton’s teaching.

Instead, he does everything he can to maximize the efforts of each individual as well as the opportunities available to each of his student-athletes; winning is simply a result of those efforts.  Motivated by a true love of wrestling and kids, Buxton puts countless hours into his work outside of the “regular”? wrestling season. In the spring and summer, he works several camps and clinics in New Jersey as well as around the country. Another spring-time habit of his is to take van loads of wrestlers (both from Blair and other local athletes) around the northeast to compete in post season tournaments. Whether he is talking on the phone to parents or college coaches for hours at a time (it is widely believed that this is truly how he acquired cauliflower ear) or giving a student one-on-one instruction, Jeff Buxton does whatever he can to help the kids and the sport that he loves. Buxton’s first head coaching job was at Chariho High School in Rhode Island where his teams compiled a 24-5 record over two years.

In 1982, he came to Blair Academy as a math teacher, assistant wrestling coach to Bob Latessa and head lacrosse coach. In 1984, Buxton was named the first co-head coach in Blair wrestling’s history. He took over sole responsibility as the head coach in 1991 when Latessa moved on to become the assistant coach at Lehigh University. Since being named co-head coach 19 years ago, Buxton has led Blair to as many National Prep team championships, and coached 61 individual National Prep Champions to a total of 79 individual titles. Although he has maintained and expanded the opportunities for the college program that has long been established as a trademark of Blair wrestling, he has also broadened the scope of the high school team. The skill level of the athletes on the high school team this past year ranged from novice wrestlers to Prep National champions, and the success of the team has grown on all levels. Again, it is Buxton’s emphasis on opportunities for students within the sport that has made it possible to see to the needs of such a wide range of athletes.

Raised in Satellite Beach, Florida and later Hope, Rhode Island in a family of 6 brothers and 3 sisters, Buxton was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Providence Country Day School where he earned a total of 13 varsity letters in football, wrestling, and lacrosse. In 1975, he was a National Prep Champion in wrestling and was named the Rhode Island Athlete of the Year, capping four undefeated seasons as a wrestler. Recently, Buxton was recognized for his high school athletic achievements as he was inducted into Providence Country Day School’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Following high school, he matriculated to the University of Rhode Island on a full wrestling scholarship where he was a qualifier for the NCAA tournament on a team that was regularly in the top twenty of the country (Rhode Island has since dropped wrestling). Known for an unconventional and tenacious style, Buxton continued competing after college and was the Outstanding Wrestler in the 1980 Northeastern Regional Olympic Trials (he did not compete in the final trials).  Jeff Buxton has two children; a son, Tony, and a daughter, Siena.

Buxton held the reigns of Blair Academy from 1982 until 2012. During his tenure, Blair became  the most successful high school wrestling program in the country. Blair successfully won the National Prep team title all 30 years under Buxton. He coaches 162 National Prep Champs (individually). He also coached 10 individual NCAA crowns and 46 NCAA Division 1 All American place finishers.

Buxton is now the head coach of the Lehigh Valley Regional Training Center where Olympic hopefuls continue to wrestle and grow.  In 2019, Buxton was named the US Men’s Freestyle Head Coach for the World Championships.

Professional Achievements

Named 2019 US World Team Coach

Received USA Wrestling's Lifetime Achievement Award