Class of 2008

Gene Monaco started his wrestling career under Larry Mulvaney's Red Raiders where he lettered in wrestling and track for Mont Pleasant. He was one of the top ranked wrestlers in the section in 1960 and 1961 when he finished 3rd in the Section II tournament both years. Gene also won the 1960 Northeastern YMCA wrestling tournament. Monaco rolled up a 21-8-1 record during his last two years with Mont Pleasant.

Gene's success caught the eye of Albany State's wrestling coach Joe Garcia where he started his collegiate wrestling career and studying for his social studies major. He went 7-2 on the freshman team and as a sophomore became a sensation when he was 14-3 and finished 4th in the 4-1 wrestling tournament in Cleveland. He finished 3rd the following year in the 4-1 tournament and was named co-captain of the team his senior year. In 1965 he was the top wrestler on the team and finished with a 10-1 slate and an overall record of 31-2 which was a new mark for career wins.

After college Gene was teaching at Hudson Valley Community College when he was appointed the head wrestling coach at RPI. He remained the head coach at RPI from 1967 until 1973.

It was during this time that Gene became interested in officiating. He was an active Official of the Capitol District Wrestling Officials Association (CDWOA) from 1968 to 2003. He officiated 4 NYS Wrestling Tournaments and 25 Section II Finals. Gene served as the President and the Vice President of the CDWOA and as its Rules Interpreter for 15 years. Gene was also President of the NYS Wrestling Officials Association (NYSWOA) 1990-1992 and then again in 1998-2000 and was a member of the NYSWOA for 15 years. He also officiated at the collegiate and international level.

Gene was also a founding member of the Adirondack 3 Style Wrestling Club (ATWA). He also served as a Team Leader USA Wrestling Junior Teams Iran, Finland and Sweden. Gene was inducted into the University of Albany Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Section II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.

Eugene J. Monaco is a Public Service Professor and for the past 30 years has served as Executive Director of the Professional Development Program (PDP) of Rockefeller College, one of the largest university-based continuing professional education programs in the nation. Monaco has over 30 years experience in the design and delivery of instructional activities using state of the art delivery modalities and in the development of curricula, training and research materials for continuing professional education in a college and university environment.

Before coming to the UAlbany in 1986, Gene served as the Dean of Continuing Education and the Executive Director of the Public and Community Service Project at Hudson Valley Community College. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations, the College of Saint Rose, and Schenectady County Community College.

He has authored numerous journal articles, papers, and scholarly abstracts related to continuing professional education and workforce development. He is the co-author of three academic book publications on government and technology.