As a Calhoun HS student, Vin’s love for wrestling began and has continued through today. In gym class at the start of the wrestling unit with Hall of Fame coach Bob Bury Sr., as his teacher, Coach Bury’s keen eye saw a talent that although raw, was also fierce. Recognizing that Vin’s natural wrestling talent coupled with his intensity was very promising, he asked him to come out for the team. He did, and that upcoming season started what would become a lifetime involvement with and for the magnificent sport wrestling.

By the end of his second season and senior year, Vin was an undefeated Section 8 County Champion (1967), and runner-up in the NY State Championship. In his quest to reaching that state final match, Vin has pinned returning state runner-up, Steve Shields of Herricks HS, and four years later at the 1971 NCAA Championship Finals in Auburn, Alabama… both he and Shields (from Nassau’s Section 8) were in the finals. This speaks volumes of the quality and skills both of these wrestlers as well as the level of wrestling competition in the section.

During the summer, after his HS Senior year, Vin wrestled to the finals of the US Junior Olympic camp in Chicago after training at Hall of Famer Sam Boone’s camp with Syracuse University’s Freshman Coach Dick Slutzky, He was accepted from both Syracuse University and the US Naval Academy. Vin chose to attend Syracuse as a result of the urging by Slutsky, Coach Bury, and Tom Schlendorf (also a Calhoun HS grad, recent Syracuse University graduate, and 1967 NCAA champion).

As a freshman at S.U. he was not eligible to compete and the Varsity level. Vin was undefeated and Plebe champion at the USMA at West Point. As a sophomore, he wrestled to a 3rd place in Eastern’s, and for the three years as a varsity competitor, Vin was undefeated in dual meet competition with the outstanding record.

As a senior, Vin was the Wilkes Champion where he defeated the 1971 NCAA Heavy weight champion, and was 3x Champion at the prestigious CW Post Summer tournament. He was seeded 1st in the Easterns, but an overnight 32” Syracuse snowfall prevented the SU wrestlers from travelling and participating. Fortunately, the Eastern tournament was then encompassed into the one-time Eastern Regional Tournament which held two weeks later, and Vin by being selected Champion of that one-time qualifier, became qualified for the 1971 NCAA Championships to be held in Auburn, Alabama. There, he wrestled to the finals where he was runner-up to the eventful 1972 Munich Olympics Gold Medalist, Ben Peterson.

Returning to Syracuse U after the NCAA tournament, Vin was awarded the Syracuse University Athlete of The Year for 1971 to take his rightful place among Syracuse U’s outstanding athletes, including Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Richard Slutsky, Jim Nance, Dave Bing, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, and Bob Rust Vin was the final recipient of the prestigious award, which was retired after his 1971 presentation ceremony.

After his outstanding Collegiate wrestling career, Vin represented the NYAC for the next 7 years, wrestling for Bill Farrell, the 1972 Olympic Coach, and was an alternative for the ’72 and ’79 Olympic games. He represented the USA Freestyle World Team and traveled to wrestle in Tbilisi, Russia in ’73, and then in ’74 to Istanbul, Turkey with that team, coached by Dan Gable.

For the past 25 years, Vin has continued with his love of wrestling by officiating with the Long Island Wrestling Officials Association, where he has been an Executive Board Member for 15 years, and has served as its President for 3 terms.