Wilkes University Athletics

A fixture in the football coaching ranks in the area, Barbieri served as offensive line coach for 16 years at Wilkes under both head coaches Joe DeMelfi and Frank Sheptock. Barbieri helped guide the Colonels to the 2006 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championship during his final season coaching.
 
Prior to his time at Wilkes, Barbieri coached 22 years at nearby Pittston Area High School where he led the Patriots football program to a 159-100-4 record claiming five Wyoming Valley Conference championships and one Eastern Conference title. He was named Coach of the Year twice in 1974 and 1981. Barbieri also coached All-American tailback Jimmy Cefalo, who later starred at Penn State and the Miami Dolphins.
 
A two-sport legend in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Barbieri was all-scholastic in football and basketball at Old Forge High School before moving onto his college career at George Washington University where he played under legendary coaches Paul "Bear" Bryant and Darrell Royal.
 
Barbieri was inducted into the Luzerne County Hall of Fame in 2019. His grandson, Rob Barbieri, is currently a junior all-conference safety on the Wilkes football team.