Before he was pacing Big Ten sidelines or calling plays in Tampa Bay, Greg Schiano was just a kid grinding it out at Bucknell, building a future. But beside him, from nearly the beginning, was a girl who braved the ups and downs with him. And this isn’t just a typical coach-meets-girl narrative. Their love story is layered, rooted in legacy, and tied to the very game that defines the HC’s public life. So who is Greg Schiano’s wife? 

Who is Greg Schiano’s Wife, Christy Schiano?

Greg Schiano is very much married to Christy Schiano, who’s been right there every step. She is more than just Greg Schiano’s wife. She’s football royalty in her own right. Her father, Tom Mitchell, wasn’t just a proud dad in the bleachers. He was one of Bucknell football’s all-time greats, a standout WR in the 1960s. When he left the program in 1965, he owned every receiving record worth owning. 173 catches for 2,358 yards and 18 TDs. That’s the football DNA Christy carries. Sadly, Tom passed away in July 2017 after a cancer battle, but his legacy lives on. 

Christy has always stuck with her husband through thick and thin. When Rutgers reintroduced Greg Schiano as the HC in the fall of 2019 after a 2001-11 stint, she was right there beside him. It wasn’t just a football homecoming; it was a family one. The Hale Center crowd didn’t just see a returning coach; they also saw the full Schiano package. The man, the mission, and the woman who’s been part of the mission since the start. 

When did Greg Schiano meet Christy Schiano?

Bucknell is where this whole love story began. Greg Schiano, a linebacker studying business administration, met Christy during his playing days in the mid-’80s. She graduated in 1990, two years after him. By then, Greg was on his way through the coaching ranks from Ramapo High to Rutgers, then Penn State, Miami, and beyond. But through the constant moves and long hours, Greg Schiano’s wife was the constant. And their partnership goes beyond football fields and recruiting visits; it’s rooted in giving back. 

In 2011, while still at Rutgers in his first stint, Greg and Christy pledged $250,000 through the Schiano Family Foundation to the Rutgers Future Scholars Program, an initiative aimed at supporting underprivileged youth through high school and into college. When the Schianos give, it’s not for headlines; it’s for impact. The Schiano Family Foundation, based in New Albany, Ohio, is no vanity project. By 2012, it was pulling in $234,000 annually and was fully recognized by the IRS. 

Do Greg Schiano and Christy Schiano have kids?

Yes. And the next generation of Schianos already has football promises. Greg and Christy have four children, namely Joey, John, Matt, and Katie. Joey, the eldest, was a tackling machine at Berkeley Prep in Tampa, where he averaged 10 tackles a game, totaled 90 as a senior, and followed Dad’s footsteps to Bucknell in 2014. He’s currently an Assistant Director of Player Personnel for Rutgers. One of the twin brothers, Matt, wrapped up his senior season playing both outside linebacker and tight end. He’s set to play football at Amherst College. 

But if you think the Schianos are all X’s and O’s at home, think again. A Sports Illustrated profile pulled back the curtain on the Schiano household. Apparently, Greg’s the breakfast guy, though the kids don’t always love the menu. His daughter Katie once passed up the morning spread for a bowl of cereal, quipping, “It just doesn’t look good.” Tough room, Coach.

And when the pads come off and the headset’s on the charger, the Schianos unplug with Netflix marathons. Their favorites are Friday Night Lights (of course), Prison Break, and Breaking Bad. They even have a white lab named Fumble, described as “nose tackle-sized.” 

So, when fans yell Greg Schiano’s name from the stands or tweet his halftime decisions, just know this. Behind every call, behind every press conference, is Christy Schiano. She’s been there through the wins, the losses, the NFL detour, and the return to Rutgers. She’s the one who knew Greg before he was “Coach Schiano,” and the one who’ll be there long after the final whistle blows.