Where Are They Now: Nick Gallo, Wrestling

Recruited out of Deer Park High School in Deer Park, New York, Nick Gallo joined the Hofstra wrestling team and had incredible success. Gallo posted a 104-14 record over his four years at Hofstra, culminating in 1977 when he won the NCAA title at the 126-pound weight class. He was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1977 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and earned All-America honors.

Gallo also competed internationally during and after graduating from Hofstra in 1978, earning a spot on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Team as an alternate and then winning a silver medal at the 1980 Wrestling World Cup while helping the team to a gold medal. Gallo returned to Hofstra as head coach of the wrestling program in 1979, compiling a 34-19 record while producing nine conference champions and 10 NCAA qualifiers during his three-year tenure.

Because of his accomplishments in wrestling, and because of his continued support and promotion of collegiate and international wrestling, Gallo received the National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. Gallo was among the inaugural group inducted into the Hofstra Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006, and in 2009 he was honored by Hofstra University by having a singlet with his name hung from the rafters of the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Center.

Gallo has worked as a consultant for Asics for many years, helping to direct wrestlers such as Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs and five-time freestyle world champion Adeline Gray to be represented and sponsored by the sportswear company. He was also involved with the 2014 film ‘Foxcatcher’ starring Steve Carrell, Channing Tatum, and Mark Ruffalo.

What made you decide to attend Hofstra?

Well, in sports and in life, there are people that hit their strides later in life. I came from a high school that wasn’t known for its wrestling and was a smaller school district. I had only started wrestling in eighth grade, so I was late to getting into the sport.

I got recruited lightly, I went on a couple of campus visits, and I even thought about going the military route of Navy, Air Force, or even the Merchant Marine Academy. My family didn’t have a lot of money, so I figured if I got a little bit of money then I could help the family out. I had received a $1,500 grant for the year, and that allowed me to commute and attend Hofstra.

My father, who didn’t really understand at first why I was wrestling, was so proud when I got that grant and he thought it was the best thing in the world.

What is your favorite memory from competing at Hofstra?

If you’re a college wrestler, the award everyone strives for is that national championship. And the icing on top of that was the Most Outstanding Wrestler award. It was very special, and to do it at a school not known for having a top-10 wrestling program makes it even more special. I was the only non-Big Ten or Big Eight wrestler to win an individual championship, so I definitely made a name for myself and it definitely helped me in my career after Hofstra.

You returned to your alma mater in 1979 as the head wrestling coach. What was that experience like?

I look at it now differently than I did back then. I was a young kid, and it was hard for me to draw that line of ‘I’m your coach, but I’m your age’ with my friends on the team. But to this day, I don’t think I lost one relationship with any of those guys because of the respect they had for me and how I treated them. We had great success during my time, because I was able to get something out of guys that the previous coach couldn’t.

What was it like representing your country in the sport you loved?

I always wanted to represent my country in a way, and the way I did it happened to be through wrestling. I got to meet a bunch of incredible people with their own stories. We had two guys defect to the United States, one from Romania and another from Russia. They were both great wrestlers and great people, and it was an incredible learning experience for everyone.

I came into those USA teams and they welcomed me with open arms. I got to be coached by guys like Dan Gable, one of the greatest American wrestlers, and I went from level three to level nine in one summer because of them. The next season at Hofstra I was beating everybody because of that summer training.

Wrestling internationally was a lot of fun. I was part of one of the first teams to go to Cuba in 1979, I’ve been to Moscow, I’ve been to Japan; I’ve been able to travel the whole globe, and it’s all because of wrestling.

What’s your involvement with Asics been like?

I’m something of a combination of a sports agent and a scout. My responsibilities are to go out and find wrestlers who are good enough to compete professionally, and I direct them towards being represented by Asics. I’ve been able to go to some of the biggest wrestling events in the world and I’ve met some great people in the world of wrestling. There’s lots of travel and there are some stressful days, but at the end of the day I love what I do.

What does it mean to you to be a part of the Hofstra family?

In the early years after graduation and when I coached and had immediate feedback of helping others, I was just so committed to the athletes and winning. As I grew older, I realized the importance of an institution in our own backyard was even more important to keep it there and watch it flourish. The changes made from the 80s until now have been amazing! Feeling part of a college that keeps improving and keeps developing new and great professionals in all degrees makes one feel honored to be a part of.

How did competing as a student-athlete at Hofstra prepare you for life after college?

Hofstra was a big help in shaping me as a person and as a student-athlete. The most amazing thing I learned attending Hofstra was there is a very large world out there. I’ve told many that yes, Hofstra has had a large effect on me, but it also taught me that you need to go out and explore the world and the different people, cultures, and the geographies they live in. Hofstra always encouraged me to find out more. It allowed me to travel to different places around the world and to learn from others that possess greater talents than I experienced. Hofstra made my mind and body hungry to learn as much as I possibly could, both physically and mentally, and to this day my hunger has not diminished.

What is one piece of advice you would give to current Hofstra student-athletes?

It would be learning to be focused; focusing on yourself outside of school and what makes you happy. And second, Hofstra is going to give you everything you want and need, but you need to take advantage of what is being given to you. When you focus on knowing what you want and you take advantage of your opportunities, there’s no limit to what you can do.