Walter Thurnau graduated from Lock Haven University in 1966 and immediately accepted a position at Southwestern Central High School in western New York.

It marked the beginning of a successful high school coaching career in wrestling that would end in 2002 with his retirement from high school teaching.

During this time he compiled a 297-97-0 coaching record while producing 17 state tournament qualifiers and two state champions, Ed Pawlak and Jim Nelson, and winning three divisional titles.

He mentored many young men who are now active coaches in western New York which he leaves as a strong legacy.

Walt was recognized as the Section VI Coach of the Year, Southern Tier Coach of the Year, and the Post-Journal Coach of the Year.

When Walt retired from coaching at Southwestern High School in 2002, he shifted gears and worked to reinstate the wrestling program at Jamestown Community College, which had been discontinued 19 years earlier. It was with his persistence, hard work, and dedication that the Jamestown Community College wrestling program was reinstated and is successfully competing in the NJCAA.

Walt was head coach at JCC from 2002-2007, coaching19 national qualifiers and two NJCAA All-Americans. He was recognized as the NJCAA Region III Coach of the Year and the NJCAA National Man of the Year.

He is currently an assistant coach at JCC, having turned the head coaching reins over to one of his former Southwestern wrestlers, Chris Fairbank. Another former wrestler, Dusty Truver, also serves as an assistant coach.

Walt lives in Lakewood, New York with his wife Margaret "Daphne". They have two grown children, Tracy and Timothy.

In recognition of all of Walt's accomplishments, he was recently inducted into the Western New York Coaches' Association Hall of Fame.

For his many years of dedication to the sport of wrestling, the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is pleased to recognize the accomplishments of Walter Thurnau by inducting him into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.