Cover photo courtesy of Jeff Pataky

Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame - Class of 2024

The Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its Class of 2024 honorees The following individuals will be presented with the Lifetime Service Award at the Chapter's banquet on Sunday, September 29th, 2024 at the Double Tree Hotel in Syracuse, NY.

INDUCTEES:
Jim Beichner - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, coach, SUNY Buffalo
William Doran - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, official
Mike Frood - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, coach, Jordan-Elbridge High School
Len Gadway - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, coach, Beekmantown High School
Mike Howard - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, coach, SUNY Oswego
Bill Hadsell - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, coach, administrator
Carl Koenig - Lifetime Service to Wrestling, official, coach
Phillip "Red" Fedele - Outstanding American

AWARDS:
Judy, Gail, and Laurie Tracy - Swimelar Volunteer Award

61st NYSPHSAA Intersectional Wrestling Championships

On February 23rd and 24th the Upstate New York Chapter maintained an exhibit table at the NYSPHSAA State Wrestling Championships at the MVP Arena in Albany. The Chapter has managed the table since 2013 and has had displays and exhibits that adhere to the main missions of the Chapter and the NWHOF.

This year the Chapter exhibited a picture of all the champions of the state tournament for the first ten years – 1963 to 1972. Additionally, the programs from those championships were on display. The presentation attempted to preserving the history of the event and recognizing the excellence that these champions represented. Hopefully, it served as an inspiration to all the young wrestlers who stopped by to view the table. Furthermore, an exhibit of photos of the newly renovated Hall of Fame in Stillwater occupied the table.

Many people expressed their approval of how the new renovations has enhanced and modernized the Museum. If you have not visited the Museum, people should put it on their agenda of things to do. The Museum certainly captures the true spirit and purpose of the sport. Finally, an exhibit of girls wrestling in the state and the nation was on display which demonstrated how the Chapter has advocated for the development of girls wrestling in the state.

NYSPHSAA Championships results

Upstate Chapter coverage regions Section IX and Section IV claimed the large and small school, respectively, sectional team titles in Albany. Minisink Valley, coached by Lifetime to Service honoree Kevin Gallagher, led Section IX to the Division I team title in winning the individual team title amongst a field of 112 teams. Meanwhile in Division II, Section IV's Tioga won a fifth straight individual team title in helping the region to the sectional team title as well. In total, twenty wrestlers hailing from Upstate Chapter coverage regions captured NYS federation individual titles out of a possible twenty six weight classes in Albany. Penn State bound Minisink Valley junior PJ Duke was recognized as the tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler in the Division I tournament.