Wrestling | 1/31/2017 11:35:00 AM
ROCHESTER, NY – On Monday, Feb. 6, RIT Athletics held the "Ronald S. Ricotta Wrestling Locker Room" Dedication ceremony in the Clark Gymnasium Auxiliary.
Ricotta, RIT President Dr. Bill Destler, along with
Lou Spiotti Jr., Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, RIT head wrestling coach
Jason Bovenzi, and senior captain
Nicholas Greenquist (Spring Lake, NJ/St. Rose) were be among speakers at the dedication ceremony. Current RIT wrestlers, staff, alumni, and distinguished guests were sent to the current locker room which is in the lower level of Clark Gym. From there, a quick ribbon cutting ceremony ensued before unveiling the locker room.
The expanded and renovated wrestling room includes custom made lockers, new flooring, lighting, furniture, and audio visual equipment made possible due to a generous donation to the program by Ricotta.
"Ron Ricotta stands tall as a person of impact, leadership and generosity," said Spiotti. "His gift to our wrestling program will reap rewards for decades to come. We are thankful for his commitment and his enduring leadership"
"Our renovation is a strong message to the current student athletes, that our institution, and alumni are behind them and care deeply about the experience that they have while representing RIT on the mats," said Bovenzi. "It also lets prospective student-athletes know that they will be afforded every opportunity to achieve their goals on and off the mat. This also shows that our alumni have the ability to positively influence the program and will always have a home as members of the RIT wrestling family."
Ricotta wrestled at the university and graduated from RIT in 1979 with a degree in accounting. Ricotta, a member of the RIT Board of Trustees, is president, CEO and co-owner of Century Mold Co. Inc., a Rochester-based injection molding supplier that designs, engineers and manufactures products primarily for the automotive industry. He is also co-owner of Parlec Inc. Both businesses were listed in the 2015 Rochester Top 100. Ricotta is also a CPA and served as a partner at the former Bonadio, Insero & Co. Ricotta has received several honors including RIT's Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award in 2014 and the Rochester Business Hall of Fame in 2015.
Founded by former RIT President Dr. Mark Ellingson in 1927, the RIT wrestling program has enjoyed immense success, with 16 All-Americans, 18 Academic All-Americans, 11 RIT Senior Male Athletes of the Year, 33 individual members of the RIT Athletics Hall of Fame, and NCAA National Champions Darrell Leslie and Matt Hamill.
"This facility transformation will be marked with a resounding message that athletics counts and that RIT wrestling is alive and well," said Spiotti.
