Edwin Rooney started wrestling at Mepham High School on Long Island in Bellmore, New York, under legendary Coach Frank "Sprig" Gardner, a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

During his career Mepham didn't lose a dual or tournament and he won Junior Met, New York AAU and South Shore Athletic League championships.

Rooney got the attention of Syracuse wrestling coach Joe McDaniel, a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, by defeating 37-year-old Murray Edelman for the state AAU crown and earning a scholarship.

At Syracuse, Rooney battled his way into the starting lineup as a freshman, defeating several seniors for the 147-pound spot. He gained early fame by defeating Penn State's Donald Frey, an NCAA finalist, in a dual match. Rooney defeated Frey again in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships before losing in the finals to Frank Bettucci, a three-time EIWA champion, an NCAA champion and a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame

Three weeks later he avenged his loss to Bettucci with a 54-second fall and took second in the National AAU Championships. After placing third at the EIWA tournament as a sophomore, Rooney won back-to-back EIWA titles and was named Outstanding Wrestler in 1954. He was also a three-time Wilkes Open finalist, winning the title and being named Outstanding Wrestler in 1954 after pinning 167-pound NCAA champion Joe Solomon in the finals.

Although troubled by injuries throughout his college career, Edwin was a two-time All-American finishing second in 1954 and fourth in 1955 as a senior. He pinned John McMahon of Michigan in 31 seconds in 1954 and later placed second earned the trophy for the most falls in the least amount of time at the National AAU Tournament.