Newark Valley alum to be inducted into the Wilkes University Athletic Hall of Fame; Ceremony planned for April 26

Newark Valley High School alum David Gregrow, from Newark Valley, N.Y., will be inducted into the Wilkes University Athletic Hall of Fame. A ceremony is planned for April 26 where Gregrow will be inducted based on his collegiate wrestling career at the University.

As a wrestler at Wilkes, Gregrow was a three-time EIWA place-winner at 190 pounds, securing fifth place once and third place twice. During Wilkes University’s Division I tenure, he became the only 190-pounder to qualify for the NCAA National Championship Tournament in 1977 and 1978. 

Gregrow was also a two-time champion at the Binghamton University Open tournament, where he set a record by pinning his finals opponent in just eight seconds during his second championship. This broke a previous record held by fellow Hall of Famer Ron Fritts.

David’s accomplishments didn’t stop there; he also set another Wilkes record by defeating an opponent 31-0, surpassing a record set by Hall of Famer Jim Weisenfluh. His accomplishments earned him recognition from National Mat News, which selected him as a mid-season NCAA D-I All-American Honorable Mention, ranking him in the top 16 wrestlers in the country for his weight class. They also ranked him third in the East as one of their “Eastern Stars” at 190 lbs, placing him between wrestlers from Lehigh and Penn State, followed by Navy and Pitt.

In 2021, David was inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Section IV Hall of Fame in recognition of his achievements in football, wrestling, and track.

David’s professional journey began after he graduated from Wilkes University with a BA in English and a teaching certification. He started his career teaching at Lake-Lehman Junior High in Lehman, Pa. After that, he transitioned to Wilkes University as an admissions counselor and assistant with the wrestling team. His career path led him to a graduate assistantship as an Assistant Wrestling Coach at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he also earned his MBA.

David’s career took another turn when he was hired by IBM in Owego, N.Y., working in their procurement organization. After the Owego facility was acquired by Lockheed Martin, he steadily rose through the ranks to become senior manager of International Trade Compliance, overseeing both domestic and international locations and managing complex export and import issues. He retired from Lockheed Martin after 32 years of dedicated service.

David was lovingly raised by his late parents, Roy and Lillian Gregrow, who instilled in him the values of hard work and perseverance. He is immensely proud of his three daughters and is overjoyed to have his first grandchild, precious Davina, in his life.”

Gregrow remains in his hometown, where all three of his daughters, Leah, Sabrina, and Emma, also graduated from Newark Valley High School. David’s impact on the world of wrestling has been significant through the years.