Longtime Pioneer coach and current Athletic Director Chris Edwards was inducted March 11 into the Western New York Wrestling Hall of Fame.
The ceremony was held at Lake Erie Italian Club in Lackawanna. A 1991 Pioneer graduate and 15-year wrestling coach, Mr. Edwards coached the Panthers to a stretch of nine straight ECIC wrestling titles from the 2013-2014 season to the 2022-2023 season.
During that run, Pioneer won 64 straight league duals. Mr. Edwards’ 2016-2017 team captured the first Section VI Division II Dual Meet title and qualified for the Duals every year during the event's first four years.
He also coached eight wrestlers to 14 top-three finishes in the state tourney, including three state champions. As only the third-ever coach in the history of the Pioneer wrestling program, Mr. Edwards joins Pioneer's other state and WNY Wrestling Hall of Famers—Dick Post and Ron Brunner.
He started teaching at Pioneer in 1998 and was assistant varsity wrestling coach for 10 years.
Mr. Edwards said, "It is an absolute honor to be inducted in the Western New York Wrestling Hall of Fame. I was lucky to have two great leaders and mentors who built this program into the program it is today in Dick Post and Ron Brunner. I am also very fortunate to have worked in a community like Pioneer, where families instill the values of hard work, dedication and grit.
"I was also blessed with a dedicated group of assistant coaches who shared the Pioneer vision, as well as a ton of great wrestlers who allowed me to join them on their wrestling journeys. Finally, I would like to thank my amazing family for all they have sacrificed so that I could chase my dreams."
Mr. Edwards was joined at the induction by his wife, Addie, and their four daughters: Shay, Ellie, Avery and Camryn.