Wrestling heroes McCoy, Davis to be inducted in the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame tomorrow
by Adam Engel, USA Wrestling
Two members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will be inducted to the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame on Wednesday, June 22.
Kerry McCoy and Kirstie Davis, who competed for the New York Athletic Club during their storied careers, can add another hall of fame induction to their long list of accolades.
McCoy excelled at heavyweight during a strong era of big men and consistently beat the best wrestlers in the world — domestically and internationally.
McCoy was a champion wrestler from Longwood High School on Long Island, and signed with Penn State. He switched to heavyweight as a sophomore, and for the rest of his career, he compiled a mark of 135-1. He won two NCAA Div. I heavyweight championships, in 1994 and 1997. He finished runner-up in 1995. His semifinal loss to Northern Iowa’s Justin Greenlee snapped an 88-match win streak.
He used an Olympic redshirt in 1996 and finished runner-up in the U.S. Open. His Olympic dreams fell short after a third-place finish at the Olympic Trials.
He returned to college wrestling and won a national championship in a ridiculously loaded field.
His bracket included an eventual World champion, an eventual World bronze medalist, and a 1996 Greco-Roman Olympian, along with several other multi-time All-Americans. In addition to his two national championships, he finished his college career with three Big 10 titles and a career record of 150-18.
Internationally, McCoy was just as successful. He won five straight U.S. Open freestyle championships from 2000 - 2004 and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2003 Pan American Games. He earned a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships in New York and represented the U.S. twice at the Olympics, placing fifth in 2000 and seventh in 2004.
McCoy is the executive director and head coach of the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He served as a coach of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. McCoy has been a longtime leader on USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors, and currently serves as its Secretary.
He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2014.
At the time of Kristie Davis’ induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018, she was the most decorated American female wrestler in history. Davis won nine World medals, which equaled Bruce Baumgartner for the most World medals in U.S. history.
The Albany, New York, native has held the American records in women's freestyle for most World Teams, most medals, and most World finals appearances. Davis competed in 10 World Championships and was a seven-time finalist, winning gold medals in 2000 and 2003 and silver medals in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2007. She captured bronze medals in 2002 and 2006. Davis helped the United States capture the World Championship team title in 1999, the first and only American women’s team to accomplish the feat.
She was named Women's Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling five times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2007), which is more than any other wrestler since the award began in 1993. She also won nine U.S. Open championships. She participated in four Olympic trials with a best finish of runner-up. During her time at Oklahoma City University, she won four University Nationals championships and two WCWA national championships for the Stars.
Davis coached at Emmanuel College in Georgia for several years.
When the 2003 World Championships were held in Madison Square Garden in New York City, these native New Yorkers both won a medal, with Davis getting a gold medal and McCoy getting a silver medal.
The pair joins rower Meghan Musnicki and Tom Fleming of track and field as the 2022 New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame inductees. Musnicki is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Fleming won two New York City Marathons. Fleming will be inducted posthumously.
Bobby Weaver, Baumgartner and Doug Blubaugh are among several notable wrestlers inducted into the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame. All three are members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and all three are Olympic champions.
Blubaugh, inducted in 1986, won a 1960 Olympic gold medal as a welterweight. He also won an NCAA national championship with Oklahoma State in 1957.
Baumgartner, one of the U.S.’ most decorated wrestlers, won four Olympic medals as a super heavyweight. He won Olympic gold in 1994 and 1992. He claimed silver in 1988 and bronze in 1996. He also captured nine World medals, three of which were gold. Baumgartner also won an NCAA championship in 1982 for Indiana State.
Bobby Weaver won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 at 48 kg. He won a World silver medal in 1979 and was a member of the 1980 Olympic squad that boycotted the Moscow Olympics. He attended Lehigh University.
The other wrestlers in the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame are Rocky Aoki, Stan Dziedzic, Sonny Greenhalgh and Bill Farrell. Setrak Agonian, a wrestling leader has also been inducted. Judo Olympians James Pedro and Jason Morris, who competed in the NCAA Wrestling Championships, are also among the inductees.
The banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception on the ninth floor of the New York Athletic Club’s City House. For more information and to make reservations, contact CherylM@nyac.org or call 212-767-7009.
Kerry McCoy and Kirstie Davis, who competed for the New York Athletic Club during their storied careers, can add another hall of fame induction to their long list of accolades.
McCoy excelled at heavyweight during a strong era of big men and consistently beat the best wrestlers in the world — domestically and internationally.
McCoy was a champion wrestler from Longwood High School on Long Island, and signed with Penn State. He switched to heavyweight as a sophomore, and for the rest of his career, he compiled a mark of 135-1. He won two NCAA Div. I heavyweight championships, in 1994 and 1997. He finished runner-up in 1995. His semifinal loss to Northern Iowa’s Justin Greenlee snapped an 88-match win streak.
He used an Olympic redshirt in 1996 and finished runner-up in the U.S. Open. His Olympic dreams fell short after a third-place finish at the Olympic Trials.
He returned to college wrestling and won a national championship in a ridiculously loaded field.
His bracket included an eventual World champion, an eventual World bronze medalist, and a 1996 Greco-Roman Olympian, along with several other multi-time All-Americans. In addition to his two national championships, he finished his college career with three Big 10 titles and a career record of 150-18.
Internationally, McCoy was just as successful. He won five straight U.S. Open freestyle championships from 2000 - 2004 and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2003 Pan American Games. He earned a silver medal at the 2003 World Championships in New York and represented the U.S. twice at the Olympics, placing fifth in 2000 and seventh in 2004.
McCoy is the executive director and head coach of the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He served as a coach of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. McCoy has been a longtime leader on USA Wrestling’s Board of Directors, and currently serves as its Secretary.
He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2014.
At the time of Kristie Davis’ induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018, she was the most decorated American female wrestler in history. Davis won nine World medals, which equaled Bruce Baumgartner for the most World medals in U.S. history.
The Albany, New York, native has held the American records in women's freestyle for most World Teams, most medals, and most World finals appearances. Davis competed in 10 World Championships and was a seven-time finalist, winning gold medals in 2000 and 2003 and silver medals in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2007. She captured bronze medals in 2002 and 2006. Davis helped the United States capture the World Championship team title in 1999, the first and only American women’s team to accomplish the feat.
She was named Women's Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling five times (1998, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2007), which is more than any other wrestler since the award began in 1993. She also won nine U.S. Open championships. She participated in four Olympic trials with a best finish of runner-up. During her time at Oklahoma City University, she won four University Nationals championships and two WCWA national championships for the Stars.
Davis coached at Emmanuel College in Georgia for several years.
When the 2003 World Championships were held in Madison Square Garden in New York City, these native New Yorkers both won a medal, with Davis getting a gold medal and McCoy getting a silver medal.
The pair joins rower Meghan Musnicki and Tom Fleming of track and field as the 2022 New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame inductees. Musnicki is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and Fleming won two New York City Marathons. Fleming will be inducted posthumously.
Bobby Weaver, Baumgartner and Doug Blubaugh are among several notable wrestlers inducted into the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame. All three are members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and all three are Olympic champions.
Blubaugh, inducted in 1986, won a 1960 Olympic gold medal as a welterweight. He also won an NCAA national championship with Oklahoma State in 1957.
Baumgartner, one of the U.S.’ most decorated wrestlers, won four Olympic medals as a super heavyweight. He won Olympic gold in 1994 and 1992. He claimed silver in 1988 and bronze in 1996. He also captured nine World medals, three of which were gold. Baumgartner also won an NCAA championship in 1982 for Indiana State.
Bobby Weaver won an Olympic gold medal in 1984 at 48 kg. He won a World silver medal in 1979 and was a member of the 1980 Olympic squad that boycotted the Moscow Olympics. He attended Lehigh University.
The other wrestlers in the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame are Rocky Aoki, Stan Dziedzic, Sonny Greenhalgh and Bill Farrell. Setrak Agonian, a wrestling leader has also been inducted. Judo Olympians James Pedro and Jason Morris, who competed in the NCAA Wrestling Championships, are also among the inductees.
The banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail reception on the ninth floor of the New York Athletic Club’s City House. For more information and to make reservations, contact CherylM@nyac.org or call 212-767-7009.