Randy Morrison started his wrestling career in 4th grade as a student in the Lowville Academy. Morrison had an exceptional career while wrestling for Lowville. In 1983 as a 250 pound heavyweight, Randy finished as the runner-up to John Brennan of Pittsford-Mendon. However, he returned in 1984 at the Onondaga Memorial Arena to capture the state championship. Randy’s victory would be the first state champion that Neal Aubel would have at Lowville. In his senior year Randy sported a 30-1 record and played varsity football for the Red Raiders. Following high school, Randy wrestled at Delhi Tech for Hall of Famer, Frank Millard, and returned to the North Country to coach the Wildcats of Gouverneur.

Randy enjoyed an illustrious coaching career at Gouverneur High School. Coach Morrison had 13 Section X team championships and sent 141 state qualifiers to the NYSPHSAA Championships in his coaching career. While at the states, Randy guided 35 Wildcat wrestlers to the podium and 5 of those wrestlers were eventual state champions. In 2003, 2004 and 2006 the Gouverneur wrestling teams captured first place in the Division II NYSPHSAA Championships under the tutelage of Coach Morrison. While leading that program for over 20 years he coached state champions David Perrigo (2006, 2007), Josh Denesha (2005,2006), and John Minckler (2004). Many people consider his best team as a coach was in 2006. Randy would have 2 state champs Perrigo and Denesha, and Nate Slate as a runner-up, at the tournament held in the Nassau Coliseum. In 2016, Randy was inducted into the New York State Wrestling Hall of Fame making him the second Gouverneur High School wrestling coach to be honored. Legendary coach Lacey Jones was selected in 1993. Gouverneur has certainly been blessed with great coaches in its storied wrestling history.

Coach Neal Aubel had this to say about Randy’s coaching, “his philosophy, maybe an accidental rub-off from his days at Lowville, was to be the best, you have to wrestle the best.” Furthermore, Coach Aubel and many more wrestling people in the Frontier League felt that John Tabolt, Lowville’s assistant coach, had a huge role in the growth of Randy as a wrestler. He drilled and scrimmage against Randy daily.

In addition, Randy has been the Section X representative on the New York State Wrestling Board since 2004 and still serves in that capacity. Randy continues to work very hard promoting and advocating for wrestling all over the Empire State. Joel Carter, a former wrestler of Randy, stated this about Coach Morrison, “Randy actually is doing as much in retirement as he was as the actual coach. He is always there for me and our team whenever needed.

Randy stated humbly in a 2004 interview with the Gouverneur Tribune Press the following which certainly characterizes his personality and coaching philosophy, “our success isn’t just me. Wrestling is an honored tradition in Gouverneur. Right now, we have got third generation wrestlers on our team. Their fathers and grandfathers wrestled for the Wildcats and they are proud to be carrying on the traditions. It’s in their blood.” Randy understand the importance of wrestling and the role it plays in the development of young people. Randy is a man of integrity, passionate in his support of wrestling, and embodies all the personal characteristics that represents a good coach and ambassador for the sport of wrestling.

Randy’s son, Dylan, has carried on the family tradition by coaching and also doing a podcast appropriately called “MorWrestling”. His son Brock coached at Middlebury High School and his daughter Cassidy is an encyclopedia of wrestling knowledge. Randy and his wife, Sue, reside in Gouverneur.

The Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame welcome Randy Morrison into our Hall of Fame. We take great satisfaction and respect to bestow this tribute to a very deserving and humble coach and man.