The sport of wrestling is a way of life for Nick Garone. He started wrestling as a 7th grade student for Coach Craig Kelskey. Nick’s HS career included being a 4X All-League Wrestler & Champion, 2X All-County wrestler (1X Champion) that culminated with him becoming Patchogue Medford’s first individual Section XI & New York State Wrestling Champion, in 1986. That same year, Nick Garone was voted Suffolk County “Wrestler of the Year” as well as being designated as a HS All-American.

In addition, Nick showed a great affinity for the international styles of wrestling where he collected six Empire State Games Gold medals and was a 5x NYS Champion (3X Freestyle & 3X Greco Roman) Nick continued his wrestling at the next level, wrestling for Syracuse University under legendary coach and Olympian Gene Mills. After transferring to Old Dominion and wrestling under another legendary coach, Gray Simons, Nick claimed a Division 1 All-American finish, placing 5th in the D-1 NCAA tournament to close out his collegiate career. He continued to wrestle freestyle fulltime medaling in international events like the Rokoczky Cup in Hungary, taking 3rd in the European Championships as well as winning the NYAC International Tournament and being named Outstanding Wrestler.

1991 saw Nick win the Asics Tiger National Championship, the US Olympic Festival Eastern Qualifier and take a Silver Medal in the Olympic festival in Los Angeles, CA. In 1992, Nick Garone won the Eastern Olympic Games Qualifier and was an Olympic trials finalist.

When he decided to hang up the competitive shoes, he founded the X-Cel Wrestling Club and twice coached that team to a Pop N’ Flo Duals National Club Championship. Currently he is a member of the coaching staff of the 4x National Dual Team Champions “Team Kong United”.

Nick Garone found a home at Eastport South Manor HS in 2005 and took a program mired in obscurity and developed it to be one of the best programs in all of New York State. It’s really here that he made his mark as one of the most successful HS coaches in NYS and Suffolk County history. He coached Maverick and Travis Passaro to individual NYS Championships, coached the first 5x NYS Champion and 6X NYS Finalist in Adam Busiello and is currently finishing out the career of NYS Champion Zach Redding who is a senior.

His wrestlers have gone on to the next level, following in their coach’s footsteps at prestigious Division 1 colleges such as Hofstra University (Passaro’s), Arizona State (Busiello) and now soon Iowa State (Zach Redding). Nick is an unwavering supporter of wrestling at all levels as evidenced by his constant involvement in all aspects of our sport.

Nick Garone can often be heard broadcasting the play by play of both college and high school wrestling events on networks such as, NBC Universal, Fox College Sports and MSG Network. Nick Garone also has starred in a weekly podcast “On the Mat’ with Newsday, featuring Gregg Sarra, Andy Slawson and Nick Garone,

Mr. Garone also helped produce several Grapple at the Garden HS All-Star events at Madison Square Garden and in Suffolk County. He has branded his own sports athletic apparel company, X-Athletic that provides top quality wrestling apparel.

“Leave your Mark” is his mantra for his company X-Athletic, it’s not only a slogan but the way of life for your new HOF member, Mr. Nick Garone.