Senior captain Cole Joseph made history after picking up the 100th win of his wrestling career in a quad-meet at Horace Mann. On December 9th, 2022, Cole became the fifth wrestler in Hackley’s history to accomplish this achievement and the first wrestler since 2016. Even with having his sophomore season canceled due to COVID-19, Cole has the most career pins (89) and the second most wins at Hackley (121), exemplifying his talent.

“It was a very special moment for me and the team. It is something that I’ve always thought of accomplishing and to finally achieve this goal feels amazing,” Cole said.

With high expectations coming into the 2022-2023 wrestling season, Cole has lived up to the pressure, even surpassing expectations. In addition to the 100-win milestone, Cole was named one of LoHud Sports’ Mean 15 picks for the top wrestlers to watch this season.

Being surrounded by older brothers who both wrestled, Cole’s wrestling journey began at the age of seven. After small matches and training, Cole instantly fell in love with the sport. Since then he has trained with several clubs; getting stronger, faster, and improving as a wrestler. Currently, Cole wrestles with “GPS wrestling” a club team located in Armonk, NY, where he trains year-round and participates in tournaments all over the country.

Currently, Cole is dominating the league with an impressive record of 32 wins and only five losses(as of 2/3/23), and along with being a great wrestler, Cole has received praise from his teammates for being a great leader and teammate. By being present at all practices, working hard, and pushing his teammates to their best capabilities, Cole sets an example for the younger wrestlers and the rest of the team. Furthermore, during the fall season, Cole was also a captain of the boy’s varsity soccer team, exemplifying his leadership abilities.

“Cole is an amazing captain to have on the team. He creates a fun environment for the team and on top of that is an insane wrestler. He is a very important part of the team and the program as a whole,” junior Cliff Chapman said.

Cole will continue his academic and athletic journey at the University of Chicago where he will join his brother on the team. With goals of becoming an instant impact on the team, Cole plans on training hard throughout the spring and summer leading up to his freshman season.

“I’m super excited about wrestling in college, it was something I always wanted to do. I think it will be an exciting new experience in my life,” Cole said, “While I am excited about the future, I still want to focus solely on this season and do my best to help the team.”

Cole hopes to continue having success, with the ultimate goal of placing in New York state by the end of the season. With his hardworking nature, leadership skills, and athletic abilities, Cole models the image of a Hackley athlete, representing and inspiring his peers.