Hall of Fame
- Highlights: All-American defensive back that owns the SRU career record for passes defended, two-time All-PSAC, All-American in 1997, played the 1998 Snow Bowl, also served as an assistant coach at SRU from 1998-00 and was part of historic four-year run for the program.
Bret Geishauser was an integral part of a historic late 1990s run for The Rock football team that included four straight PSAC titles, three trips to the national playoffs and a No. 2 national ranking, the highest in program history.
A two-time All-PSAC defensive back, Geishauser was a first team All-PSAC selection and went on to earn All-America honors in 1997 following his senior season. He was named the defensive MVP on the team in 1997 after leading The Rock to the PSAC title and a trip to the national playoffs, which marked the first NCAA Division II playoff appearance for SRU.
Geishauser was invited to and played in the 1998 Snow Bowl, which at the time was one of the premier collegiate showcase games for football players. He closed his SRU career as the program's all-time leader in passes defended (57) after tallying a single-season record 22 pass breakups in 1997. In addition to his excellence on the defensive side of the field, Geishauser was also an elite kick returner who racked up more than 1,000 return yards and averaged just shy of 30 yards per kickoff return.
Following his playing career, he served as a graduate assistant coach at The Rock from 1998-00, helping the program to three PSAC titles to cap a stretch of four straight conference titles. He also helped SRU to NCAA appearances in 1998 and 1999, the program's first trip to the national semifinals and a No. 2 national ranking, which remains the highest in program history.
Geishauser went into a coaching career after earning his master's degree in sport management from SRU. He served as a strength and conditioning assistant coach with the Buffalo Bills in 2000 before spending three seasons as the head strength and conditioning coach at Duquesne, where he also assisted the football program as a wide receivers coach on the 2003 Division IAA national championship team.
After moving on from collegiate coaching, Geishauser started his own business and currently serves as the owner of Academy Performance & Exercise (APEx), a fitness equipment supplier. His company supplied most of the equipment for the Jerry Bejbl Weight Room at SRU when the University upgraded the space in recent years. He has also stayed connected to coaching, working as an assistant coach at Bishop Guilfoyle High School since 2011. His squads have won five state championships, including the 2024 state title.
Geishauser currently resides in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He is the proud father of two daughters, Ava and Jenna, and is engaged to Andrea Taylor.
