Wrestling

James T. McCloe was an Eagle Scout and stand-out athlete, earning multiple awards in football, wrestling and track  in his hometown of Waverly, NY. Wrestling launched McCloe into his collegiate career at SUNY Delhi, where he earned a National Junior College Championship in 1971. Coach John Welborn recruited McCloe to wrestle at North Carolina University beginning in the fall of 1971, where he won many titles including: two-time North Carolina Collegiate Champion, Southern Conference Champion, 1st and 4th at the prestigious Wilkes 'Tournament, Two-Time First Colonies Champion, the Pembroke Open Champion, and the Maryland Federation Tournament Champion. He was also selected to the NCAA East-West All-Star Team and was an NCAA qualifier. McCloe served as team captain his senior year and then as a volunteer coach at ECU. Following graduation, he was a graduate assistant coach at West Chester where he earned his Master's Degree. In 1975, he returned to Waverly with his wife, Cynthia, raising three daughters while developing a wrestling dynasty and serving as Director of Athletics of the district for 16 years. He also taught Health and Physical Education, coached JV football, owned and operated Camp Olympia, a sports and recreation camp focusing on wrestling, gymnastics, swimming and day camps. Coach McCloe retired from Waverly High school in 2007 after 33 years as Head Wrestling Coach. His teams won  14 Section N Team Championships  and he coached 40 Section IV Individual Champions, seven NYS Champions, and 21 NYS place winners, including 8 runners-up and six National High School All-Americans. Coach McCloe finished his career with a series of flourishes, capturing Section N Team Championships in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 and winning Section N and New York  State Dual Meet Championships in 2005 and 2007. Overall he coached his team to 435 dual meet victories. He was named Section IV Coach of the Year 7 times and New York Wrestling Coach of the Year twice. He was elected to the National Junior College Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1985; the Waverly High School Hall of Fame in 1999; was one of eight finalists for the National High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year Award in 2007; and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008 and Section N Hall of Fame in 2009.