Rutgers University Athletics

A two-sport athlete, Dr. Sam Crosby lettered in both football and wrestling at Rutgers from 1956-1958. Crosby was the Scarlet Knights’ starting quarterback in their single-wing formation during his senior season in 1958, blocking for First Team All-America tailback Bill Austin. RU finished with an impressive 8-1 record and a No. 20 ranking in the final Associated Press poll that season, as Crosby earned the team’s George T. Cronin Trophy – awarded each season to a varsity football player who manifested the most improvement and progress on the field. 

A standout collegiate wrestler, Crosby lettered three times on the mat and served as a team captain for Rutgers from 1957-59. As the No. 2 seed at the 1958 EIWA Championships, Crosby defeated Syracuse’s Bill Murphy by a 7-6 decision to win an individual conference title at 167 pounds. Crosby also qualified for the 1958 NCAA Championships held at the University of Wyoming. 

Crosby remained involved in New Jersey’s tight-knit wrestling community for more than 45 years after his graduation from the University. Crosby was the head wrestling coach at Bridgewater-Raritan High School and worked as both a high school official and NJSIAA Rules Interpreter. He was the chief wrestling official of the New Jersey State Tournament for 25 years. He also served as a member of the National Federation of High Schools Wrestling Committee for eight years, including four years as Chairman. Crosby was inducted to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, NJ Chapter, in 2001 and served on the Hall of Fame’s executive board until his retirement in 2015.

He has been recognized for his contribution to high school wrestling with a number of awards including the Harry E. Lake Award for Lifetime Achievement to Wrestling in New Jersey, the Richard C. Mirshak Award of Excellence in Officiating and the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame.