Ralph Isernia is an American college football coach currently serving as the head coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, New York. Since his appointment in 2013, he has become one of the most successful coaches in the history of the RPI football program.
Isernia attended Davidson College, where he was a multi-sport athlete in football and baseball. He began his coaching career in the early 1990s and gained extensive experience in various assistant and coordinator roles across multiple levels of the NCAA. Prior to his tenure at RPI, his coaching background included positions at Ferrum College, Charleston Southern University, Bucknell University, Mansfield University, and Defiance College.
At RPI, Isernia is credited with elevating the program's profile within NCAA Division III. Under his leadership, the Engineers have secured multiple Liberty League championships and earned several invitations to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Notably, he guided the team to the national quarterfinals in 2018 and 2021. In 2021, Isernia surpassed the record for the most wins by a head coach in the history of RPI football.
Throughout his career at RPI, Isernia has been recognized with multiple coaching honors, including Liberty League Coach of the Year awards. His coaching philosophy often emphasizes a balanced offensive approach and academic achievement among student-athletes.