New Wrestling Space Helps Launch Wyandanch Girls Varsity Program
A new chapter in Wyandanch wrestling is taking shape at the Stingray Wrestling Club at Wyandanch Village, where a state-of-the-art training facility is helping revive the district’s wrestling tradition while supporting the launch of Wyandanch High School’s first varsity girls wrestling team.
The Stingray Wrestling Club – sponsored by the Town of Babylon and Team Schaffer – officially opened in October as a dedicated wrestling training facility serving athletes, coaches and schools across the town. A free, year-round Stingray Wrestling Program was also launched for students in kindergarten through grade 12, focused on leadership development and long-term athletic growth. The facility currently serves as the home wrestling room for Wyandanch High School.
For Wyandanch student athletes, the space represents a significant step forward. Previously, the team practiced in a school cafeteria. Now, they train on permanent mats in a fully equipped wrestling environment designed specifically for the sport.
This winter marks the inaugural varsity season for Wyandanch High School’s girls wrestling program, which competes as part of a merged team with Amityville, Copiague and Lindenhurst. The combined team includes approximately 50 athletes, with Wyandanch represented by juniors Ashley Dionicio, Brianna Dionicio and Jennifer Villatoro.
“It’s the first time in school history where girls are able to compete on a varsity level for wrestling,” Wyandanch Athletic Director Dr. Ty Scarlett said. “They now have the same opportunities as boys to compete for county and state championships. This facility has been tremendous for our students and for the community.”
Head wrestling coach Dr. Jamel Coy Hudson, a Hofstra University professor and former state champion wrestler, said the rebirth of the program builds on a proud history while creating new opportunities for students.
“Wyandanch has a rich wrestling tradition,” Dr. Hudson said. “By relaunching the program and starting a girls varsity team, we’re entering a new chapter. We hope the community sees wrestling as a positive outlet.”
The Stingray Wrestling Club itself grew from a vision by Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer to use wrestling as a vehicle for community connection and youth development.
“The idea was to create a space where wrestling could bring people together,” said Mike Torriero, the club’s director. “It’s open to every school district in the Town of Babylon, from youth programs through high school, and even college wrestlers who return to train. Having mats down all the time and a dedicated facility is a blessing for the entire community.”
Looking ahead, the facility is expected to become a hub celebrating local wrestling history, with plans to highlight past champions, teams and Olympians from across the Town of Babylon. For the students, however, the focus remains on growth, both on and off the mat.
“Originally, I joined because my friends were joining, but I really liked how it challenged me every day,” Villatoro said. “Even the warmup is exhausting. But it’s also such a hard sport to quit. Every day, I come back and try to push myself harder, and I think that’s because my teammates and coaches are so supportive. Even when I lose, I learn from it.”
District leaders say that perseverance is exactly what the program is designed to build.
“Wrestling is a very hard sport, and it takes a certain determination to stick with it,” Dr. Hudson said. “We have a solid core group of committed young ladies who have wrestled with pride in their first year. We want to see them achieve their best.”
“Wrestling changed my life,” Dr. Scarlett said, noting how it teaches resilience. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for wrestling. Dr. Hudson came back to serve the kids in our community through wrestling because of the impact that it had on his life. He’s paying it forward, and that’s what wrestling is all about. Most wrestlers will say it’s one of those sports that is a community. We stick together and support each other because wrestling is a grind, but in that grind, you learn a lot of life lessons, and it builds character for our young men and women. Seeing this opportunity now available to our students – especially our girls – is very special.”
With a new facility, a growing partnership with the Town of Babylon and the debut of a girls varsity team, Wyandanch’s wrestling program is once again gaining momentum and creating new opportunities for scholars to succeed.
