Joe Crispo was a key member of WPI’s first New England championship team in 1985. He showed consistent commitment and dedication to improving as a wrestler throughout his career.
He spent his first two seasons behind other New England championship wrestlers, but established himself as one of the top options on the team as a junior, and became an All-American as a senior.
His senior year of 1985, he was the New England Champion—on his way to being named an All-American. His 14-3 dual meet record in his final season capped off a career of 25-8-1 at dual meets. That year, he produced 70 team points for a squad that went 20-1 in dual meets and had 7 out of 10 wrestlers as finalists in the New England championships.
“Joe Crispo saved his best for his senior season,'' recalls Hall of Famer Phil Grebinar. “After contributing for three seasons, Joe completed it in record fashion helping the team to a 20-1 dual meet season and earning the 1985 New England Conference Team Championship. Individually, Joe reached the height of success, wrestling to an individual championship title at 158 pounds at the NECCWA Tournament, and then earning All-America honors with a seventh place finish at the NCAA Division III National Championship.”
Showing up on time to practice or to catch the team bus for a dual meet wasn’t one of Joe’s fortes,” cracked Hall of Fame teammate Jeff Horowitz. “However, he was a great teammate and always fun to be around. He was a very talented and versatile athlete who excelled in baseball and other sports, not just wrestling. He really stepped up his performance when the competition got tough—and Joe got even tougher.”
A native of Reading, Mass., Joe graduated with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He started as an engineer with GE Aerospace in upstate NY, then moved into technical sales where he has built a a career in software sales in the Telecom sector both here in the US and internationally.
Joe is currently with Red Hat as sales lead for AT&T and Warner Bros Discovery. He and his wife, Kate, reside in Marietta, Ga., with their three children—Austin, Logan, and Avery.
