SUNY Cortland Athletics

Bill DeSario was a two-time Division I All-America wrestler at Cortland who went on to enjoy more than 45 years as a highly successful educator and coach in Suffolk County.
 
* A North Bellmore, N.Y., native, he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cortland in 1968, a master’s degree in physical education from SUNY Brockport in 1969, and a professional diploma in school administration from Long Island University-C.W. Post in 1979
 
* Competed in varsity wrestling at Cortland for three years from 1965-68 along with freshman wrestling and freshman soccer
 
* Two-time NCAA Division I All-American at 123 pounds, finishing fourth in 1968 and sixth in 1967
 
* Three-time State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) champion – 130 pounds in 1966 (Cortland won the team title) and 123 pounds in 1967 and 1968
 
* Registered a then-school record 64 career victories in three varsity seasons from 1965-68
 
* Won 130-pound titles at the 1967 and 1968 4-I tournaments, which featured top collegiate and AAU wrestlers from Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York
 
* Finished fourth at 125.5 pounds at the 1968 Final U.S. Olympic Trials
 
* Named to the East All-Star Team as top the senior east of the Mississippi River at 123 pounds by the NCAA in 1968
 
* Wrestling team captain and the team’s Red Letter Award as both a junior and a senior
 
* SUNY Brockport’s varsity wrestling head coach in 1968-69, leading the program to a 9-4-1 record and SUNYAC runner-up finish and being named honorable mention for the Amateur Wrestling News Collegiate Rookie Coach of the Year award
 
* Physical education teacher in the Babylon public school district from 1969-2001 and the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at Babylon from 1989-2000
 
* Posted a combined 386-164-6 record during his 37-year wrestling coaching career that included one year at SUNY Brockport, 20 years at Babylon (1969-89), 10 years at Commack High School (2000-10) and six years at Ward Melville High School (2010-16); his 377 high school dual meet wins rank third in Suffolk County history
 
* Earned 10 league wrestling Coach of the Year honors; his teams won 15 league/conference titles and his wrestlers claimed 15 sectional titles, seven state titles, 12 all-state honors, 67 all-county awards and 88 league/conference titles
 
* His coaching at Babylon also included junior high co-ed track, freshman/junior high football, junior high softball and middle school baseball
 
* A 2010 National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee for lifetime service to the sport of wrestling
 
* Junior High Wrestling Chairperson for Suffolk County from 1990-2004 and President of Suffolk County Wrestling Coaches Association from 2007-15