Our History

Founded by Doug Howard, expanded by the Hamilton community, and rooted at McMaster University, our legacy continues with every wrestler who steps onto the mat.

Since 1967

Forged in Hamilton

Since 1967, the HWC has taken many shapes, guided by leaders such as Doug Howard and Nick Cipriano and sustained by countless volunteers along the way. Every era of the HWC has produced Provincial, National, and International Champions, while providing wrestlers of all ages, abilities, and ambitions with opportunities to learn and compete for Hamilton.

Milestones

Moments That Shaped Us

1967
Our Foundation
Doug Howard founded the Hamilton Wrestling Club out of McMaster University. Creating the first joint varsity-club wrestling program in the province.
1980
Incorporated
The Hamilton Wrestling Club officially became an incorporated body. Securing its future and commitment to serving generations of Hamilton Wrestlers.
1994
Expanding the Pathway
What we now know as the Jr. Marauders Wrestling Club was formed, providing young Hamilton wrestlers with a new pathway to train, compete, and develop alongside the HWC.

In The Archives

Moments On The Mat

1966
Commonwealth Games: Before It All Began
Before the Hamilton Wrestling Club was officially founded, Rick Bryant represented Hamilton at the Commonwealth Games, capturing silver in the Welterweight division and becoming Hamilton’s first international medalist. His performance began an international tradition that has since seen 16 HWC athletes stand upon the podium across 9 Commonwealth Games.
1967
Founding The HWC: Doug Howard Started It All
On Thursday, October 26, 1967, Doug Howard founded the Hamilton Wrestling Club with a vision to create a welcoming environment where athletes could learn, compete, and grow through wrestling. Originally based at the YMCA, Doug’s relationship with McMaster University led football coach Ray Johnson to approach him about helping establish a varsity wrestling program at the university. The opportunity brought HWC to McMaster, where the two programs grew side by side and established the first joint club-varsity partnership that continues to define Hamilton wrestling today.
1967
Senior Nationals: Our First Champion
In the Club’s first year, Charlie Nixon became HWC’s first senior National Champion. His victory marked the beginning of a tradition that has spanned more than 50 years of National Championship competition, producing over 180 National Champions across all age groups, including over 70 Senior Freestyle and Greco-Roman champions, as well as over 600 top-six finishes throughout our history.
1973
Senior Provincials: Provincial Success Begins
Ken MacDonald (149.5 lbs) and Joe Pavicic (163lbs) became the HWC’s first Senior Provincial Champions, helping the Senior Men capture bronze to earn the club’s first provincial team medal. Their success began a legacy that has grown to almost 250 individual Provincial Champions, over 600 medalists, and more than 900 top-six finishes, including nearly 70 Senior Champions.
1981
The Cipriano Era Begins
In 1981, Nick Cipriano took the reins of the Hamilton Wrestling Club, beginning one of the most successful eras in its history. Over nearly four decades, he helped strengthen HWC’s connection with McMaster University, developed generations of Provincial, National, and International Champions, and established Hamilton as one of Canada’s premier wrestling environments. His influence would eventually reach the Olympic stage, where he served as a Canadian coach at three consecutive Games in 1988, 1992, and 1996.
1983
Juvenile Nationals: Our First National Team Title
The Juvenile Boys made history in 1983, capturing HWC’s first National team medal, which was a gold! The championship was led by individual National Champions Gary Holmes and Chris Woodcroft, alongside top-three finishes from Dave Maniaci, Tony Bellavia, and Dave Mair. It marked the beginning of a proud tradition of team success, with HWC teams earning 37 National podium finishes across all divisions: 12 golds, 13 silvers, and 12 bronze medals.
1984
Summer Olympics: Hamilton At The Olympics!
The 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California, saw the first Hamilton Wrestling Club athlete, Lawrence Holmes, compete at 57 kg. His appearance began a run of four consecutive Olympic Games featuring HWC wrestlers, with seven athletes making 10 total appearances between 1984 and 1996. Six represented Canada: Lawrence Holmes, Gary Holmes, Chris Woodcroft, Greg Woodcroft, Paul Ragusa, and Ainsley Robinson, while Calum McNeil represented Scotland. The HWC’s presence wasn’t just felt in the athletes but in the coaching; Nick Cipriano served as the Canadian Olympic coach at the 1988, 1992, and 1996 Games.
1985
OUA & CIAU: McMaster Sweeps!
Just five seasons after Nick Cipriano took over, and hosting the 1985 CIAU Championships at Burridge Gym, McMaster completed a historic season by capturing its first OUA Championship and first CIAU National Championship, tying Concordia for the national title in front of the home crowd. Led by OUA and CIAU Coach of the Year Nick Cipriano, the National title included HWC wrestlers Lawrence Holmes (61 kg) and Paul Bellavia (65 kg) capturing gold, alongside bronze medals from Chris Woodcroft (54 kg) and Tony Bellavia (76 kg). The entire championship team was later inducted into the McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame, while Paul Bellavia, Lawrence Holmes, Chris Woodcroft, and Paul Clatney also earned individual induction.
1986
National Training Centre Status
By 1986, the Hamilton Wrestling Club had established an impressive reputation both nationally and internationally. Recognizing the strength of its athletes, coaching, and high-performance training environment, Wrestling Canada designated HWC as a National Training Centre, cementing Hamilton’s place as one of Canada’s premier destinations for developing elite wrestlers. This designation brought some of Canada’s best wrestlers to Hamilton to train, strengthening the environment for every athlete in the club and helping HWC develop the next generation of National Team members and Olympians.
1986
Commonwealth Games: HWC Strikes Gold in Edinburgh
At the 1986 Commonwealth Games, held in Edinburgh, Scotland, Gary Holmes (74kg) and Chris Woodcroft (52kg) became the first HWC wrestlers to capture Commonwealth gold. Together with Pam Wilson (2003), they are the club’s only Commonwealth Games Champions, with Gary winning an impressive three Commonwealth Games titles. Across its history, the HWC has earned 16 Commonwealth Games medals: five golds, four silvers, and seven bronzes.
1986
Senior Worlds: HWC Reaches the Senior World Stage
In 1986, the Senior World Championships took place in Budapest, Hungary. Here, Gary Holmes became the first Senior HWC wrestler to compete at the World Championships. Hamilton athletes had already reached the World Championships at the Cadet, Juvenile, and Junior levels beginning in 1981 with Nello Di Carlo, Paul Bellavia, Terry Dinatale, and David Maniaci. Since Gary’s Senior debut, the HWC has made 20 Senior World Championship appearances and over 50 appearances across all age groups.
1987
Senior Pan Ams: A Double-Bronze Debut
During the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, Chris Woodcroft (52 kg) and Gary Holmes (74 kg) made history for the HWC again by becoming the first to compete at the Games. Both captured bronze medals and began a history of Hamilton at these Games. Since their debut, the HWC has produced 18 Senior appearances and over 30 appearances across all age groups.
1988
Senior Nationals: Senior Men Break Through
After the Juvenile Boys won gold as a team at the 1983 National Championships, the Senior Men followed in 1988, capturing bronze and earning the HWC their first Senior National team medal. This marked another important step in the club’s rise at the National level; the club would go on to win 11 team medals, 3 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze across all divisions.
1988
Summer Olympics: Hamilton Returns to the Olympics
The 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, featured three HWC athletes: brothers Lawrence Holmes (57 kg) and Gary Holmes (74 kg), both of whom placed 9th, and Chris Woodcroft (52 kg). These Games marked Lawrence’s second Olympic appearance and the first for Gary and Chris; by the end of their careers, all three became two-time Olympians.
1990
Senior Worlds: A Record Finish in Tokyo
The 1990 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan, featured seven HWC wrestlers, four at the Senior level. Among them, Mir Quirzadah finished seventh, recording the highest Senior World Championship placement by a Hamilton Wrestling Club athlete.
1992
Senior Provincials: Senior Men Take the Crown
The HWC Senior Men captured their first Provincial Team Championship in 1992, beginning a run of three consecutive titles. Twelve wrestlers finished in the top six, including six Provincial Champions: John Smith (48 kg), Paul Ragusa (52 kg), Mir Qurazadah (57 kg), John Di Benedetto (68 kg), Scott Nichol (74 kg), and Gary Holmes (82 kg). This launched an era of team success that has grown to 60 Provincial team podium finishes, including 31 gold, 16 silver, and 13 bronze. These include four Senior Men’s, three Senior Women’s, and one Combined Senior title.
1992
Senior Nationals: Greco-Roman Gold
The 1992 National Championships saw HWC capture its first Senior Greco-Roman Team Championship, led by National Champions John Smith (48 kg), Mir Qurizadah (52 kg), Ainsley Robinson (62 kg), and John Selby (74 kg), alongside a bronze from Kirk Thomas (62 kg). The victory was the first of two Senior Greco-Roman team titles for Hamilton and contributed to a tradition that has produced 25 individual HWC Greco-Roman National Champions.
1992
Summer Olympics: A Record-Setting Games
The 1992 Olympic Games, hosted in Barcelona, Spain, marked the HWC’s strongest Olympic performance. Gary Holmes (74 kg) and Chris Woodcroft (55 kg) returned for their second consecutive Olympic Games. They recorded the two highest Olympic finishes in HWC history, with Gary placing sixth and Chris eighth for Canada. Alongside them, Calum McNeil (68 kg) represented his home country of Scotland and placed 12th.
1994
CIAU Championships: McMaster Reaches the Top Again
In an already historic year for Hamilton wrestling, the McMaster Marauders added another major accomplishment by capturing their second National Team Championship. HWC Wrestlers, Richard Kelly (57 kg), Robert Betz (72 kg), and Scott Nichol (82 kg) won gold, while Michael Watson (65 kg) earned silver, and Jose DiSanto (52 kg) captured bronze. The victory remains McMaster Wrestling’s second and latest National Championship.
1994
HWC Expands with the Steelhawks
The Hamilton Wrestling Club expanded its development pathway by creating the Steelhawk Athletic Club, founded by John Di Benedetto, Chris Fraser, and Derm Tilley, to bring Hamilton’s high school wrestlers together to train and compete as one team. The impact was immediate: the Steelhawks captured back-to-back Spieth-Anderson Dual Meet Championships, earning two wrestling mats for the Hamilton wrestling community, establishing the Steelhawks as one of Canada’s top youth programs and laying the foundation for today’s Jr. Marauders.
1994
Provincials: The Historic Sweep!
The 1994 Provincial Championships marked one of the greatest team accomplishments in not just HWC history but Ontario Wrestling history. Hamilton became the first club in Ontario to sweep all four Male team titles, capturing the Cadet, Juvenile, Junior, and Senior Championships. The historic sweep came as HWC expanded its reach with the Steelhawk Athletic Club, a dedicated high school program that would evolve into the Jr. Marauders we have today.
1995
Senior Provincial: Senior Women Reach the Top
The 1995 Provincial Championships marked another breakthrough for HWC, as the Senior Women captured their first Provincial Team Championship. Champions Tania DeBenedetti (45 kg), Teresa Piotrowski (57 kg), and Melissa Mancini (70 kg) led the title, with a bronze from Shelly Rodriguez (65 kg). Their victory began a tradition of women’s team success that has since produced three Senior, one Juvenile, and one Cadet Provincial Team Championships.
1995
Cadet & Juvenile Nationals: A Historic Sweep!
The 1995 National Championships saw HWC complete a historic sweep of the high school divisions, capturing both the Cadet and Juvenile Boys Team Championships. The Juvenile title marked their second consecutive National Championship, demonstrating the immediate impact of the newly established Steelhawk Athletic Club and HWC’s expanding youth development pathway. Cadet winners Emidio Coccia (40 kg), Jeremy Awde (47 kg), and David Herd (51 kg) led the championships, alongside Juvenile champions Dave Grandoni (46 kg), Fabio Coccia (54 kg), and Dwayne Kirk (68 kg). Success extended to the Senior level, where the Men earned their best-ever Freestyle team finish with silver while also capturing HWC’s second Senior Greco-Roman Team Championship.
1996
Summer Olympics: End of an Era
The 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, saw three new HWC athletes make their Olympic debut. Greg Woodcroft (55 kg) placed 10th, and Paul Ragusa (55 kg) placed 16th in Freestyle, while Ainsley Robinson (66 kg) competed in Greco-Roman and finished 18th. These Games also marked the end of an era, as Nick Cipriano made his third and final appearance as a Canadian Olympic team coach.
1996
Senior Worlds: Women Reach the World Stage
The 1996 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, saw Tania DeBenedetti (44 kg) become the first HWC woman to compete at the World Championships. Her seventh-place finish tied the club’s best-ever result at the World Championships. She paved the way for HWC women such as Ohenewa Akuffa, Teresa Piotrowski, and Pam Wilson to represent Canada on the world stage in the years to follow.
1998
Senior Nationals: Senior Women Make History
The 1998 National Championships saw the HWC Senior Women capture the club’s first and only Senior Freestyle National Team Championship, led by National Champions Tania Mair (46 kg) and Teresa Piotrowski (51 kg), who was also named the tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler, alongside a silver from Ohenewa Akuffo (75 kg). The historic victory stands among 11 National Team Championships won by HWC across all age groups and wrestling styles.
2002
FISU World University Championships: Wilson Strikes Gold!
The 2002 FISU World University Championships in Edmonton, Alberta, saw Pam Wilson (75 kg) become the first and only HWC wrestler to capture gold at the event. Her victory helped pave the way for future generations of HWC women, with Serena Di Benedetto (53 kg) and Macy Malysiak (65 kg) returning to the podium more than two decades later, each capturing bronze in Brasília, Brazil, in 2026.
2003
Commonwealth Games: Pam Wilson Makes History
The 2003 Commonwealth Championships in London, Ontario, saw Pam Wilson (74 kg) become the first and only HWC woman to compete at the event, making history by capturing gold. Colin Miller (120 kg) added a silver and Sheldon Francis (74 kg) earned bronze, giving HWC a medal of every colour. Wilson’s victory made her one of only three HWC wrestlers to capture Commonwealth gold, joining Gary Holmes and Chris Woodcroft, and the only HWC woman to accomplish the feat.
2004
Pan American Championships: A New Generation Breaks Through
The 2004 Junior Pan American Championships in Guatemala City saw one of HWC’s strongest international performances, with Sheldon Francis (74 kg) capturing gold and Stefanie Howorun (72 kg) becoming the first HWC woman to compete at the Pan American Championships, earning silver. Their success paved the way for a new generation of international competitors, including Serena Di Benedetto, who would go on to make an incredible 10 Pan American Championship appearances.
2015
OUA Championships: McMaster Returns to the Top
Competing at home in 2015, the McMaster Men captured their fifth OUA Team Championship and first since 1993, ending a 22-year wait. HWC athletes played a major role in the championship, with Jason Buckle (61 kg), Chris Garneau (68 kg), and Joban Phulka (82 kg) each capturing gold. The victory marked a return to the top of Ontario university wrestling and another example of the longstanding success shared between McMaster Wrestling and the Hamilton Wrestling Club.
2022
OUA Championships: Maroon and Silver
The 2022 OUA Championships marked the beginning of a historic run for McMaster Wrestling, as the Men’s and Women’s teams both captured silver for the first of three consecutive seasons. The Men were led by OUA Champions Francesco Fortino (57 kg), Trystan Kato (68 kg), and Peter Shirley (100 kg), with silvers from Jackson Glasgow (76 kg) and Jonathan Vecchio (125 kg). The Women were led by champions Macy Malysiak (56 kg) and Simi Jayeoba (67 kg), alongside silver medalist Ligaya Stinellis (50 kg). Together, the two team silvers began an unprecedented three-year stretch of simultaneous OUA success for the Marauders.
2022
Cadet & Senior Provincial Championships: A Historic Return
The return of the Provincial Championships following the COVID-19 pandemic saw HWC make history across multiple divisions. The Cadet Girls captured their first Provincial Team Championship, while the Senior program completed an unprecedented sweep, winning the Men’s, Women’s, and Combined Team Championships in the same year for the first time in club history. The historic performance marked a powerful return to competition and demonstrated the strength of HWC across both its developing and Senior programs.
2023
OUA & U SPORT: McMaster Makes History Together
The 2023 season marked the strongest combined varsity championship performance in McMaster Wrestling history. Both captured OUA silver for the second year in a row, with the Women medalling in an incredible eight of nine weight classes, including golds from Serena Di Benedetto, Amy Bellavia, and Simi Jayeoba. At U SPORTS, the Men earned National silver, their best finish since 1994, led by champion Karanveer Mahil, silver medalists Howard Moffatt and Omogbai Asekomhe, and bronze medalists Gianluca Fortino and Luken Lawson. The Women made history with a National bronze, their best finish ever, led by champion Amy Bellavia, silver medalist Serena Di Benedetto, and bronze medalists Simi Jayeoba and Vanessa Fonrose, with Serena also being named U SPORTS Female Rookie of the Year.
2023
Nationals: Junior Teams Return to the Podium
The 2023 National Championships marked HWC’s return to the team podium after nearly two decades, with the Junior Men capturing gold and the Junior Women earning bronze. National titles from Serena Di Benedetto (50 kg), Natalie Vecchio (65 kg), Blayne Helou (61 kg), and Karanveer Mahil (125 kg), alongside bronze medals from Tehani Blais (72 kg) and Irman Kang (79 kg), powered the two teams. These medals added to 10 previous Junior team podium finishes, making the Junior division HWC’s most successful team category at the National level.
2024
U23 World Championships: Serena Makes U23 History!
In 2024, Serena Di Benedetto made Hamilton Wrestling Club history by earning a silver medal at the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, recording the best U23 World Championship finish by any HWC athlete. She continued to make history at the 2026 U23 Canadian Championships, becoming the only wrestler in Canada, male or female, to win four U23 national titles. With the victory, Di Benedetto qualified for her fourth U23 World Championships, where she will represent Canada in Las Vegas in 2026.
2026
U SPORTS: Seven National Champions
In Jevon Balfour’s first season leading McMaster and the HWC, the Marauders delivered one of their strongest U SPORTS Championship performances in recent memory. The Men captured team silver and the Women placed fourth, while individually, all nine Marauders who reached a medal match found the podium, seven winning National Championships and two earning bronze. The remarkable performance marked an exciting new chapter for McMaster Wrestling and demonstrated the continued strength of the McMaster–HWC partnership.