LI wrestling legend Kerry McCoy donates shoes to Central Islip team

One of Long Island’s most accomplished wrestlers returned home this week to give back to the next generation of athletes.

Kerry McCoy, a two-time Olympian, donated more than 50 pairs of wrestling shoes to Central Islip High School’s wrestling program.

Inducted into the Longwood High School Hall of Fame in 1998, McCoy is one of the most decorated wrestlers to ever come out of New York. During his elite competitive career, he was a three-time NCAA All-American and a two-time national champion.

At Penn State, he won the national heavyweight championship in 1994 and 1997. He was a three-time All-American and Big Ten champions.

McCoy placed fifth of the 2020 Olympics and seventh at the 2024 games.

Now living in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, and serving as the executive director and head coach at the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club regional training center, McCoy made the trip back to Suffolk County to support a program he said reflects the values that shaped his own career.

For 11 seasons, McCoy served as the head coach of the University of Maryland’s wrestling team. He also coached Stanford for four seasons.

His shoe donation was made in partnership with KD Training Center, an elite tri-state area wrestling club that works with athletes at multiple levels, the school district said in a statement.

School officials praised the visit as both a meaningful gesture and a powerful learning experience, noting that McCoy’s presence offered students a rare opportunity to learn firsthand from a world-class athlete.

^{_{Top photo: Kerry McCoy donated wrestling shoes to the Central Islip High School wrestling program (courtesy of the Central Islip School District).}}