Upstate New York Chapter 2024 Induction Ceremony

Syracuse - On September 29th, the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted the following wrestling legends into their Hall of Fame at the Double Tree Hotel in East Syracuse.

Mike Flood, Bill Hadsell, Bill Doran, Jim Beichner, Mike Howard, Len Gadway, and Carl Koenig.

Section III Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Canastota - On Saturday October 19, 2024, the Section III Hall of Fame Committee selected the ensuing wrestling greats into their Hall of Fame at Theodore’s Banquet Hall in Canastota. The following were selected - Dave Camaione, Watertown High School and NCAA wrestling official, Todd Fallon, outstanding official in the Central New York Wrestling Official Association, Paul LeBlanc, wrestler at Morrisville-Eaton High School and Cortland State and now a coach at Jamesville-Dewitt High School, Mike Letcher, Oswego State wrestler, EIWOA and Syracuse Wrestling Official Association official, John Richard, Herkimer wrestler and now coach at Holland Patent High School, and John Drew, the founder and operator of the Central New York Wrestling website. The highlight of the evening was the surprise honoring of John Drew. Drew, who had indicated that he was not worthy of the selection for many years, was unbeknown to him included into this outstanding class of honorees. This induction class contained some of Section III best wrestling people. The Upstate New York Chapter pays special tribute to all these wrestling standouts and their remarkable careers. Thank you for all that you have accomplished and given to the athletes of Section III.

Upstate NY Chapter NWHoF Honoree Anthony Servidone retires

East Greenbush - After serving 34 years as a wrestling coach in the East Greenbush Central School District, Anthony Servidone has announced his retirement from coaching but will definitely remain a strong advocate for the sport in many other ways. Anthony was a 1986 graduate of Columbia High School where he was coached by Doug Porter and later wrestled for Joe DeMeo at the ATWA wrestling club.

In 1988 Anthony joined the East Greenbush Central School faculty as a physical education teacher and started his illustrious run as a wrestling coach. During his tenure as a coach Anthony won 401 dual meets which was the most wins in the school history in any sport. He was name Section II’s Division I coach of the year twice and in 2018 the Times Union, the capital city’s largest newspaper, named him Coach of the Year. While coaching Servidone guided his teams to 10 Suburban Council Division Team Championships and coached 41 individual Class A and B champions along the way. Furthermore in 2012 he was selected into the Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2019 Anthony was inducted into the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Presently Anthony is a Board Member of the Upstate New York Chapter and continues to work for the betterment of the sport. The Chapter salutes a great coach, person and developer of girls and boys wrestling in the Empire State.

Lancaster Alumnus A Fan Favorite for Hometown Buffalo Bills

Orchard Park - 2018 Lancaster High School graduate Joe Andreessen took the football world by storm this summer when he made the 53-man active roster of the NFL's Buffalo Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent out of SUNY Buffalo. Andreessen, a talented multi-sport athlete, led the Legends to the NYS Class AA football title game in 2017. On the mats, he was a 2018 Section VI Division I champion at 220-pounds and was a two-time NYS tournament place winner for the storied Legends program, placing 3rd and 5th his senior and junior seasons, respectively.

Andreessen was given the nickname 'Buffalo Joe' by his teammates and is a fan favorite who has captured the hearts of passionate Bills fans in WNY and around the country. Andreessen made his mark in the NFL preseason in August where he was exceptional as an outside linebacker and on special teams, ultimately earning himself a spot on the active roster under head coach Sean McDermott, who himself was an outstanding youth wrestler and is a noted enthusiast of the sport now.

Congratulations to Joe, the Andreessen family, and the Lancaster community for this wonderful achievement!