It is now being reported by InterMat that two-time defending Suffolk County Champion/2008 NYS Champion, Ken Collado has given a verbal commitment (can sign at any time) to the University of Maryland and their Head Coach, former Section XI legend, Kerry McCoy….The 2009 NYS placewinner (6th @ 112) is the latest member in what is already a very impressive recruiting class to join the Terrapins….He joins InterMat top-100 recruits Spencer Myers (#53; Projected as a heavyweight) and Frank Goodwin (#65; Projected as 133), as well as Jenkins Mozey (Projected as 125) and returning Pennsylvania State placewinner Mark Hartenstine (Projected at 141) as members of the class of 2010 to formally announce that they will be College Park, MD bound next Fall. 

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/3x placewinner (2007- 6th @ 96; 2008- 1st @ 103; 2009 1st @ 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 2x All-American/4x 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 !!!

2009 NYS DI 112-Pound Semifinal: Ken Collado (Hauppauge) vs. Steven Rodrigues (Fox Lane)

Related posts:

1. Golden Bear: 152-Pound NYS Champion Lanzi Headed to Brown
2. Boomer Sooner: NYS DII Champion Colling Commits to Oklahoma
3. Nothing Hokie About This: #79 Recruit Malvestuto Commits to Virginia Tech
4. Billy the Kid: 2009 Suffolk County Champion, Coggins, Headed to UVA
5. (Scarlet) Knight Time: Suffolk Champion, Volpe, Gives Verbal to Rutgers