Heading into his senior year, the Hauppauge High School wrestler will be looking to add on to a resume that already includes a pair of Suffolk County titles/three-time placewinner (2007- sixth at 96; 2008- first at 103; 2009 first at 112), as well as back-to-back trips to spots on the podium in Albany, having followed up his 2008 State title with a 6th place finish last season at an ultra-competitive 112 weight class. Should the Eagle wrestler be successful in accomplishing his mission to return to the top of the mountain, he will become the first Hauppauge wrestler since Mike Messina '99 (who went on to wrestle on the Division I level at Boston University/Sacred Heart) to win multiple state crowns.
By virtue of his commitment, Collado, who is being projected as a 125-pounder on the collegiate level, becomes the fifth wrestler from Suffolk to solidify his spot on a D1 roster. He joins a trio of Rocky Point wrestlers Stephen Dutton (Lehigh), Anthony Volpe (Rutgers), and Billy Coggins (Virginia), as well as Hofstra signee Nick Terdick.
When Collado arrives at UMD, he should have no trouble finding his fair share of quality workout partners to push him in the Terrapin Wrestling Room. In addition to former ACC champion Brendan Byrne, who joined his alma mater’s coaching staff this season as a volunteer assistant, the future University of Maryland lightweight will have the privilege of being molded by former two-time All-American/four-time Big-12 placewinner Todd Beckerman, a mainstay on the coaching staff who will celebrate his fifth anniversary on the UMD bench in 2010.
Socially, the adjustment to college life should be made quite easier by the fact that the perennial Atlantic Coast Conference contender has been a very popular destination among Empire State wrestlers these past few years. Future teammates include fellow Suffolk residents Dan O’Malley (Sachem East) and Shawn Mazzarone (Sayville). Brockport’s Christian Boley is the third NYer on the Maryland roster.
On behalf of everyone at LHW, we congratulate Ken, his family, and the Hauppauge Wrestling program for this accomplishment!!!
InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from LighthouseWrestling.com.
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