Jason Welch was named head coach of SF State wrestling program ahead of the 2017-18 season. During his tenure, he has helped guide eight wrestlers to Nationals and had two wrestlers earn Conference Wrestler of the Year honors
During the Gators inaugural season as members of the MPSF, Welch guided the Gators to a second place finish at the MPSF Championship, only falling to Champions Menlo College by two points. He sent two Gators to the NCAA Championships that season. Johnny Lopez won at the 141 lb, marking the first Gator during Welch's time to earn a National Championship.
In his first season at the helm of the Gators, Welch led the program to a 6-4 mark and produced three RMAC Champions and a pair of NCAA qualifiers.
Welch brought his technical acumen to San Francisco after serving as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Northwestern, where he graduated with a major in English. The 2016 Olympic hopeful has also competed as an athlete in the 2014 World Team Trials and for the Chicago Regional Training Center and Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. Additionally, Welch served as head coach at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, and runs a series of prestigious wrestling camps.
As a senior at Northwestern, Welch won a Big Ten championship and placed second at the NCAA championships, making him a three-time NCAA All-American. As a redshirt junior, he was invited to wrestle at the 46th NWCA All-Star Classic and placed fourth for All-American honors. Welch won the famed 49th Midlands tournament hosted by Northwestern and led his squad to its highest team place at the tournament with a second-place finish. As a redshirt sophomore, Welch qualified for the NCAA tournament again and placed sixth to earn All-American honors. Welch started as a true freshman and qualified for the NCAA Wrestling National Championship Tournament.
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Welch attended Las Lomas High School, where he lettered in wrestling, soccer, and football, but it was on the mat where he began to make a name for himself. En route to four finals and three state championships, Welch amassed 119 consecutive victories and an overall win-loss record of 194-7. He was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy, given to the best-all around high school senior in the country.
Welch was inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in May 2023.
He was married in August 2018 to his wife, Lauren.
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