John Franchi enters his second season as the head coach of the Men's Wrestling program at Elmira College after taking over the program in August 2023.
In his first season as a collegiate head coach, Franchi helped mentor Darius Green '24 to a seventh-place finish at the 2024 NCAA DIII Mideast Regional Championships as Green became just the second wrestler to be named All-Region for the Purple & Gold. Green would go on to record five place-finishes for EC, including a runner-up finish in the heavyweight division at the Jamestown CC Jayhawk Open. The Soaring Eagles would also see Hollis Berry '25 record three tournament place-finishes as his best finish would be third at the Jamestown CC Jayhawk Open while competing at 157 pounds.
During the 2023-24 season, Elmira would record its best tournament finish at the New York State Intercollegiate Open at Nassau Community College as the Soaring Eagles finished 10th out of 20 programs. EC would be paced by a fifth-place finish at 157 pounds from Hollis Berry '25, while Darius Green '24 would come up just short of placing with a loss in the consolation semifinals. Green finished his fourth season for the Soaring Eagles with a single-season record 25 overall wins and six dual victories, while also setting the single-season mark with 16 victories via fall. Berry would have a breakout third season with the Purple & Gold as he finsihed the season with 19 overall wins and five dual victories to go along with 10 victories via fall and a single-season record three major decisions.
Franchi, a native of Elmira Heights, New York, is the current owner and head instructor at Fifth Round Fitness & MMA. Since 2010, he has instructed both adult and youth classes while also helping to train amateur and professional fighters. In 2018, Franchi established a youth wrestling club program and has been the head coach of the team since its inception. He also spent four years assisting Thomas A. Edison High School with its boy's wrestling program from 2007-2010.
Franchi would start his collegiate wrestling career at Corning Community College, where he would go 18-10 as a starter in his lone season with the Red Barons. He would go on to place third at the 2002 NJCAA Regional Tournament for CCC and qualified for the JUCO National Tournament. He would transfer to SUNY Cortland and was a three-year starter for the Red Dragons as he compiled an overall record of 44-36.
Twice during his time with the Red Dragons, Franchi placed fourth in the Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference and recorded a third-place finish in 2005-2006. He also represented SUNY Cortland at the NYS Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships and was a two-time NCAA DIII Scholar All-American competing at 157 pounds.
As a professional MMA fighter, he competed in both the International Fight League (IFL) and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) where he put together a 6-2 overall record. His six victories came via knockout (2), submission (2), and decision (2). His first victory was on October 27, 2007, via TKO as Franchi opened his career with five consecutive wins before dropping his first match via unanimous decision on June 7, 2009. His bout at WEC 44 against Cub Swanson in 2009 earned Fight of the Night honors in Las Vegas, while he would close out his career with a victory via decision on November 6, 2010, in Niagara Falls, New York.
As a high school wrestler, Franchi attended Thomas A. Edison, where he placed third in the Scholastic Freestyle division at the Empire State Games. He was also a member of the Glider Freestyle Club and Shamrock Wrestling Club, competing in greco and freestyle at summer tournaments from 1998-2002.
Franchi earned his associate degree in business administration from Corning Community College in May 2004, while earning his Bachelor of Arts and graduating Cum Laude from SUNY Cortland in May 2007.
