Renowned Canton Journalist Elected To National Wrestling Hall Of Fame

CANTON, CT — An award-winning sports journalist and founder of the CollinsvillePress is among nine outstanding individuals from the state’s wrestling community who have been selected for induction into the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Gerry deSimas Jr. has been covering wrestling and sports in Connecticut for more than 40 years for several newspapers and websites. He was the wrestling correspondent for the Republican American in Waterbury from 2000-19 but covered the sport for other state newspapers.

In 2001, he founded Connecticut Wrestling Online, the state’s oldest wrestling website. Three times, Connecticut Wrestling Online has been a finalist for the National Outlet of the Year from the National Wrestling Media Association. In 2018, he was the first Connecticut journalist to be inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame, and is a four-time sportswriter of the year award winner from the Connecticut High School Coaches Association’s wrestling committee.

deSimas is the editor of two Connecticut high school record books (wrestling, football). He is also the editor and founder of Collinsville Press.com, which has covered sports in Connecticut since 2009. He has served on the executive committee as Secretary of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for 15 years, and is on the board of directors of the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance.

The other new electees are:

• Shirzad Ahmadi, longtime high school and collegiate coach and wrestler
• Drew Black, head coach at Wesleyan University
• Fritz Blasius, benefactor to many local charities and organizations
• Dave D’Alessio, former coach and teacher in Madison
• David Green, head coach at Nonnewaug High School in Woodbury
• Ted Oczkowski, coach, official and administrator
• Chris Piel, head coach at New Milford High School
• Ray Southland, longtime official and middle school principal

D'Alessio and Southland will be inducted posthumously.

An induction dinner is scheduled for April 26, 2025 at Mohegan Sun to honor these men for their contributions to the sport of wrestling and their communities.

All nine will receive a Lifetime Service award for coaches, officials, or contributors with at least 20 years of service.

They will be permanently recognized in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma with an embossed name plaque, and each receives a plaque and jacket to commemorate this special occasion. They will join 51 other inductees in the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Anyone interested in obtaining tickets is asked to email ctwrestling7@yahoo.com with your email address for a message when they go on sale.

Learn more about the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame by going to the chapter’s own website or the chapter website at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.