Upstate New York Chapter mourns three Hall of Fame honorees

With great sadness, the Upstate New York Chapter lost three Lifetime Service to Wrestling award winners and Hall of Fame honorees since its September awards banquet: Wayne Ferguson, Hall of Fame year 2012 (d. Sept. 29th), Dan Wickham, 2009 (d. Oct. 10), and Tom Canty, 2004 (d. Oct. 12). The Upstate New York Chapter Board of Directors wishes to extend its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and wrestling communities surrounding these three legendary coaches, mentors, & wrestling minds.

Kyle Dake captures 5th World Title

Lansing native Kyle Dake captured his 5th career World Title in his third different weight class at the 2026 Senior World Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan to become the oldest American champion to win at the Senior World tournament. In addition to his world title at 86kg, Kyle also helped Team USA to a nine point victory over 2nd place Russia in the final team standings, 194-185, to claim the men’s freestyle team title for the United States. Congratulations to Kyle and all of Team USA!

2026 Upstate New York Chapter high school award winner claims collegiate opening weekend title

Recent UNYCNWHOF Robert Feldmeier Award winner Griffin LaPlante, a 2x NYS champion hailing from St. Francis High School, went 4-0 on the way to claiming the 157-pound freshman/sophomore division title at the Southeast Open in Salem, VA on November 1st. Griffin earned three technical falls including a 21-5 victory in the title match. Also joining LaPlante at the top of the podium hailing from the Upstate New York region was 2025 Valley Central graduate and 3x NYS champion Luke Satriano who captured the 141-pound Southeast freshman/sophomore title wrestling for West Virginia University.

Elijah and Isaiah Cortez Join Cornell Wrestling

After completing their gray-shirt year in Ithaca, twins Elijah and Isaiah Cortez are officially joining the Cornell Big Red Wrestling Roster for the upcoming season.

Hailing from Gilroy High School, where they were coached by the legendary Daniel Cormier, both brothers are two-time California state champions. They continued their dominant run this summer at the U.S. Open, where Elijah won the 61 kg freestyle title and Isaiah captured the 57 kg championship. Isaiah also took home a silver medal at the U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Cornell fans are excited to see the twins take the mat under head coach Mike Grey. They join a powerhouse program at the Friedman Center Complex, supported by coaches Zach Tanelli, Yianni Diakomihalis, and David McFadden. It promises to be a thrilling year on the hills of Ithaca.

Two New York Wrestlers Represent Team USA At U23 World Greco Championships in Las Vegas

Two outstanding New York wrestlers, Michael Altomer of Stuyvesant and Adrian Artsisheuskiy of Brooklyn, proudly represented the United States at the October 2026 U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both athletes earned the opportunity to compete against some of the world's finest young Greco-Roman wrestlers.

Michael Altomer — 87 kg | Stuyvesant, NY | Columbia HS | Minisink Valley HS

Michael Altomer began his high school wrestling career at Columbia High School (Section 2), competing there from eighth through tenth grade. As a sophomore in 2020, he earned an impressive fifth-place finish at the NYSPHSAA Division I State Championships at 195 pounds. After receiving Section 2's lone wild-card entry, Altomer battled through the consolation bracket to secure a place on the state podium. Altomer jumped up 2 weight classes that season for the NY State Championships and competed at 195 lbs

Altomer transferred to Minisink Valley High School (Section 9) for his junior (Covid affected season) and senior seasons, becoming a New York State finalist during his senior year.

Throughout his high school career, Altomer was coached by two distinguished National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Upstate New York Chapter inductees: Anthony Servidone (2019) at Columbia High School and Kevin Gallagher (2023) at Minisink Valley High School.

Following high school, Altomer continued his wrestling career at Northern Michigan University, developing into a multiple-time Greco-Roman national champion, capturing prestigious titles at the Fargo National Championships and U.S. Open. Currently representing Curby 3 Style WC and the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), Altomer trains under Joseph Uccellini, a multiple-time U.S. Open national champion and coach at the Curby Training Center.

At the 2026 U23 World Championships, Altomer posted an outstanding 2–1 record and finished seventh in the world at 87 kg. He defeated opponents from China (8–1) and Japan (9–0) before falling to Norway in the quarterfinals. Michael unfortunatley was not pulled back into the tournament (repechage) to compete for a Bronze Medal, however Altomer finished with an impressive 7th place showing. 

Adrian Artsisheuskiy — 82 kg | Brooklyn, NY | Midwood High School

Brooklyn native Adrian Artsisheuskiy established himself as an accomplished high school wrestler at Midwood High School in New York City. His scholastic career was highlighted by capturing the prestigious NYC Mayor's Cup Championship during the 2019–2020 season.

Artsisheuskiy continued his wrestling development through his involvement with the Elite Wrestling Academy and New York Athletic Club (NYAC), eventually earning a position on the United States U23 World Team.

Competing at 82 kg in Las Vegas, Artsisheuskiy opened the World Championships with an impressive 7–1 victory over Zheying Song of China. His tournament concluded in the Round of 16 following a loss to Alexander Johansson of Sweden.

NEW YORK WRESTLING PRIDE

The accomplishments of Michael Altomer and Adrian Artsisheuskiy reflect the strength and tradition of New York wrestling, from its scholastic programs and nationally recognized coaches to its elite training centers. Their journeys demonstrate the importance of dedicated coaching, perseverance, hard work and commitment to excellence. Both athletes have proudly represented New York State and the United States on the international stage, serving as an inspiration to future generations of wrestlers throughout the Empire State.

New York State high school wrestling kicks off soon

The new wrestling season in New York begins with the first official day of practice on Monday, November 16th.

Upstate NY college wrestling notes: Ithaca College women’s wrestling coach Ryan Ciotoli

What drew you to the position?

The opportunity to become the first head women’s wrestling coach at Ithaca College is truly an honor. Building a program from the ground up is never easy, but having the chance to shape it the right way from day one is incredibly exciting.

Ithaca College has always meant a great deal to me. I competed here as a student athlete and later spent six years as an assistant coach with the men’s program. During that time, I built lifelong relationships and learned what it takes to compete at a high level. Much of that foundation came from Coach Marty Nichols, who has been a major influence on my career and personal development.

After stepping away, I carried those lessons into my businesses and my work coaching professional athletes. The desire to return to coaching at this level never left me. Being able to come back to Ithaca, work alongside Coach Nichols again, and lead this new program is a unique and special opportunity. The support from the college has been outstanding, and I’m incredibly grateful to be part of this community.

What were two highlights from your first season?

Our first season went by quickly, and that’s largely because of the incredible group of student athletes we brought in. They set the tone for what this program is about, hard work, accountability, and a willingness to be coached at a high level. Watching such a young team, mostly freshmen, step into competition and perform with confidence was a major highlight. Many of them placed at tournaments, won matches, and showed real growth throughout the season.

Another highlight was the coaching staff we assembled. Bringing in Coach Joel Ferrara and Coach Bill Stanbro was essential to our success. Both bring tremendous experience and perspective, and they made this first year not only productive but truly enjoyable. Together, we created an environment that allowed our athletes to develop and compete with integrity.

Beyond results, some of the most meaningful moments came during our team travel, getting to know the athletes as people, building relationships, and establishing the culture that will carry this program forward.

What can fans look forward to in the next five years?

Over the next five years, fans can expect continued growth and a steady rise toward national competitiveness. We’ve already built strong momentum with our first recruiting class, and our second class is shaping up to be even stronger.

As we continue to fill out the lineup and add depth, our goal is to become a consistent presence on the national stage. Just as important, we’re focused on developing well-rounded individuals and student athletes who are prepared to succeed not only in wrestling, but in their careers and lives beyond college.

We’re building something that’s sustainable, competitive, and rooted in strong values. The foundation is in place, and the future is very bright.

Anything further you’d like to add?

I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve started here in such a short time. This program is built on culture, relationships, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

We’re just getting started, and there’s a lot to be excited about. It’s a great day to be a Bomber!