Brookfield and New Farifield High Schools, Coach and official
Brewster, New York
Jason Shaugnessy
Coach
Fairfield, CT
Rick Sherman
East Lyme High School
East Lyme, CT
Ricky Shook
Danbury High School
Danbury, CT
Dennis Siegmann
Coach
Bristol, CT
Carl Snitkin
Norwich Free Academy
Norwich, CT
Ray Southland
Official
Meriden, CT
Roger Vertefeuille
Bulkeley High School
Hartford, CT
John A. Vino
Official
Stonington, CT
Arthur Peter Ziegler
East Lyme and Montville High Schools
Oakdale, CT
Medal of Courage Award
PFC Jeffrey Francis Braun
Stafford, CT
Mark C. Lawrence
Glastonbury, CT
Andrew Levitt
State of Connecticut
Staff Sgt. Joseph Kapacziewski
Bristol, CT
Outstanding American Award
Charlie Anderson
Trumbull, CT
Gralyn Harris
Waterbury, CT
Richard M. Larrabee
State of Connecticut
Michael P. Morris, Jr.
Coach and official
New Milford, Hebron, Colchester
Erik Weihenmayer
Weston, CT
What we do
The Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame honors individuals in three ways:
The Lifetime Service Award Program, coordinated by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, is designed to honor and recognize dedicated wrestling people for their years of commitment to young people. The award is not about win/loss records. It is about a person’s dedicated efforts to help young people to not only succeed in wrestling, but also in life.
The Medal of Courage Award is given to a wrestler who has overcome overwhelming adversity to be successful on the mats and in his own life.
The Outstanding American Award is presented to an individual who was a former wrestler and has received state or national acclaim in his/her chosen profession.
Each award recipient is permanently recognized in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (Stillwater, Oklahoma) with an embossed name plaque, and each receives a plaque and jacket to commemorate this very special occasion.
Who to contact
Connecticut chapter
2026 Board of Directors
Ted Oczkowski, President
E-mail: ctcoy2002@yahoo.com
Mark Cammisa, Treasurer and Vice President, Finance
Connecticut Chapter, National Wrestling Hall of Fame
Welcome!
Welcome to the home of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Connecticut chapter is a direct extension of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Chapter and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
The Connecticut chapter provides outreach and support for the National Hall. Our chapter was formed to honor committed coaches, officials, contributors and other deserving individuals from Connecticut.
Nominations
Any person may nominate an individual for induction into the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Please complete and submit the nomination form below.
For any questions regarding nominations and submission of information, please contact Nick Grosso, Vice President, Nominations by e-mail at
A letter over your signature telling why the nominee is a valid candidate for election
A detailed resume of the candidate’s personal history and qualifications
A minimum of three letters of character reference and support of the nomination
Further documentation (copies of articles, tributes, etc.) is welcome
Criteria for awards
Lifetime Service to Wrestling
Coach, official, contributor
1. Integrity
2. At least 20 years of service to wrestling
3. A commitment to the community and the youth in it
Outstanding American
1. Integrity
2. Former wrestler at some point in their life
3. Highly successful in their profession or nationally famous for their work
4. Used the disciplines learned in wrestling to reach those levels
Medal of Courage
1. A current or former wrestler who has overcome exceptional challenges
Nominations Open through May 1 for National Wrestling Hall of Fame
Nominations are open for the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Please submit completed applications by May 1, 2026, for consideration in our next induction class.
Any person may nominate an individual for induction into the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Please complete and submit the nomination form below.
You also need to mail several items to Nick Grosso, the chapter’s Vice President of Nominations by email (raiders818075@yahoo.com) or by U.S. mail at 511 Cardinal Lane, Cheshire, CT 06410.
Fifty-nine men and women have been recognized for their contributions to wrestling in the state of Connecticut.
