News Hub

Ekstrom (right) with his former head coach Brian Quick (left) Provided photo

MAY 22, 2025—In front of a room full of legendary Section V coaches and athletes, Alex Ekstrom returned to the spotlight. This time, not as a competitor,  but as an honoree.

The 2009 Palmyra-Macedon graduate, one of the most decorated wrestlers in Section V history, was officially inducted into the Section V Wrestling Hall of Fame.

“I would say, it surprised me,” Ekstrom said. “You don't necessarily forecast something like that.”

It may have surprised him, but Ekstrom’s résumé checked off all the boxes. As a six-year varsity wrestler, he compiled a remarkable 226-19 career record at Pal-Mac. This included being a four-time New York State Public High School Athletic Association state champion from 2006 to 2009.

In doing so, he became the first-ever wrestler from Section V to accomplish that feat. He also won a Junior National title in 2008. He was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament in his senior year.

Back home in Palmyra, a road sign along Route 21 highlights his multiple championships. 

At the ceremony on Wednesday, May 14, Ekstrom was joined by his family and his longtime coach, Brian Quick, who formally introduced him.

“It’s full circle,” Ekstrom said. “Coach Quick played a pivotal part in my wrestling career, and in my personal development as well.”

We’ll get to that impact soon, but to understand Ekstrom’s rise to success, we must look at how it started. 

Ekstrom says he first hit the mat before he even owned wrestling shoes. He says he was four when his father, Bob, brought him and his older brother, Eric, to their first tournament. He didn’t win, but that early exposure laid the groundwork for everything that followed.

“Having an older brother who could beat you up every day was a big part of it,” Ekstrom joked. “It made me tougher. It made me better.”

Much, much better.

By middle school, Ekstrom’s dedication to wrestling had already taken off. His dominance on the mat was so prevalent that he said he and his family traveled year-round to find tougher opponents.

The rapid rise was the result of the extra work he put in during the offseason. This included joining clubs, and leaning into the grind most kids avoid. While he may have been racking up the wins, Ekstrom said it really all clicked for him during his freshman year, when he found himself consistently beating juniors and seniors.

“That’s when I realized I might be a little ahead of the curve,” Ekstrom said. “It felt like the hard work was starting to pay off.”

Ekstrom (bottom center) with his fellow Section V Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductees (provided photo)

And the rest, they say, was history.

But even with enough accolades to fit a road sign, Ekstrom is quick to point to others including his family, his teammates, his coaches, and the Pal-Mac community as the reason for his success.

"Pal-Mac was so supportive,” Ekstrom said. “We were missing school on Fridays to travel for tournaments, and the district was always behind us. I wouldn’t have been able to chase my goals without that support system.”

Part of that support system was, of course, Coach Quick, who had a front-row seat for Ekstrom’s rise. 

Before YouTube clips and highlight reels were just a tap away, Ekstrom and Quick would flip through wrestling magazines to study technique. They’d break down still photos of moves, frame by frame. Ekstrom says he had a knack for visualizing those sequences and applying them in real time. This unique ability gave him an edge.

That edge is part of why Quick said Ekstrom’s Hall of Fame induction was a long time coming.

“There are rare athletes that come through who just have it all, the talent, the work ethic, the humility,” Quick said. “Alex had all of that. He was respected across the state, not just because of what he did on the mat, but because of who he was off it.”

Quick also recalled one of the most defining chapters of Ekstrom’s career, which came during his senior season. After winning three straight state titles, he ran into another three-time state champion, Warsaw’s Ian Paddock, in the SuperSectional finals. Paddock won the match 5-0, handing Ekstrom a humbling defeat just weeks before the state tournament.

But the story didn’t end there.

In a highly-anticipated rematch at states, Ekstrom scored a late double-leg takedown to secure the win and make history as Section V’s first four-time state champion. Quick says Ekstrom did it all on a hurt knee, though he competed in the match without the knee brace he’d worn all year.

"The place exploded,” Quick said. “It was standing room only, the match of the tournament. That takedown was everything.”

From takedowns to taking on the next step of his career, after high school, Ekstrom earned a Division I scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. His time there showed glimpses of promise, including beating out an eventual national champion in the room. Unfortunately, a series of concussions and coaching changes derailed his college career.

Still, the sport never left him.

Ekstrom soon left Oklahoma and headed back to the Empire State, where he earned his degree from SUNY Plattsburgh. Ekstrom then went into coaching, which included a six-year stint as an assistant at Peru High School, and led a New York State freestyle/Greco team in an international competition in Sweden in 2016. 

Today, he’s helping build a growing program at St. John Fisher University, where he recently wrapped up his third season as an assistant coach.

“My focus now is helping kids get to the next level,” Ekstrom said. “It’s about giving back to the sport that gave me so much.”

While college coaching keeps his schedule packed, Ekstrom keeps tabs on Pal-Mac. He’s made it to a few matches in recent years to support his cousin, Luke VanGorden, who notched an impressive wrestling career of his own. Additionally, he says he stays in touch with his hometown program when he can.

For Ekstrom, what matters most is the roots, the people, and the community that helped him grow.

Know an amazing alum who should be recognized? Fill out our form! Pictures and/or video can also be sent to Public Information Coordinator Andrew Hyman at andrew.hyman@palmaccsd.org