Class of 2007
Draper Vikings
When Frank Famiano tried out for the Draper basketball team in junior high, Coach Doug Erickson told him he was wasting his time. Erickson, who was also a Section 2 wrestling official started taking Frank with him to youth wrestling tournaments. By the time Famiano was a freshman he was the starting 98 pounder on the Vikings wrestling team in 1975 under Coach Douglas Jones.
Frank did well his first varsity year for Draper, losing in the semifinals to Hoosick Falls John DeLuca, and finishing 3rd in the Class C sectionals. But for the next 3 years Frank would not lose another Section 2 match. Frank would win three straight Section 2 titles which at the time tied him for the section record with just 4 other wrestlers. He also graduated in 1979 with the most wins in Section 2 history at that time. He wrestled in three NY State Championships and finished 6th in the state in 1978 losing a close match to the state runner-up from Section 3, Joe Labbate at 105 Lbs. Frank was one of the favorites in the 1979 State Tournament but had to drop out due to injury.
Frank was not planning to go to college but Brockports Coach Don Murray talked him into coming to wrestle for him as he needed a 118 Pounder. Murray noticed that Frank did not lift weights to work out like the other wrestlers but climbed rope instead. Murray could not complain about Franks methods as he became the best wrestler that Murray had ever coached. Murray would say "Frank looks mean and he is mean. He'll kill you. I like that. I want a tough kid." Famiano would be a four year wrestler and two time captain for Murray as they would win 3 Division III NCAA Team Championships together at Brockport.
Famiano started out 1980 by barely missing the US Olympic team and was an alternate before the boycott. He would go on at Brockport to be a two time Division III National Champion (1982, 1983), a two time NYS Champion and twice was a Division III Most Outstanding wrestler. Famiano was not only a Division III All-American all four years at Brockport but also a unique dual Division I All-American in 1982 and 1983. He finished 5th and 6th in the Division I Championships in '82 and '83 losing by one point to National Champion Dan Cuestas of Cal State in' 82 at 118 Lbs.
Frank had continued National and International success after Brockport wrestling for ATWA. He was an AAU Greco Roman National Champion, a National Open Greco-Roman Champion, a three-time National Sports Festival champion, six-time U.S. Open Greco Roman Wrestling National champion, two-time World Cup silver medalist, two-time Pan-American Games Silver Medalist; and a 10-year United States National team member.
Frank made a name for himself nationally in 1984 when he and Jeff Blatnick brought Joe DeMeo's Greco Roman Style of wrestling to TVs across America in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Frank, who was the youngest on the team at 22, would finish 5th in his weight class. Frank had a scare when the official made a scoring mistake on one of his early matches that had to be corrected that night to give Frank the win. Frank wrestled through incredible pain from an injury he sustained winning the Olympic trials and could not even lift his arm most of the competition. Frank would just miss making two more Olympic teams in '88 and' 92.
Frank was inducted into the Division III Collegiate Wrestling Hall of Fame; The Brockport Hall of Fame, Mohonasen/Draper Athletic Hall of Fame and the Section II Wrestling Hall of Fame. Rotterdam, NY recognized August 8, 1984 as "Frank Famiano Day" for his Olympic performance in the 1984 Summer Games.
Frank received his B.S. in Marketing and Business Administration from Brockport and also has his NYS Coaching Certification. Frank is married to his wife Maureen and makes his home in the Tampa, Fla., area, where he is a branch manager of the East West Partners Management Company and runs Olympic ATM Inc. with 260 ATM machines in six states. Frank also helps out as a wrestling coach at his sons school for the Steinbrenner High Warriors.