COLLEGE WRESTLING: TIOGA'S BAILEY SIGNS TO WRESTLE AT DIVISION I BINGHAMTON (2 PHOTOS) (2024-06-28)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER - Binghamton University checked every box for Tioga senior Deakon Bailey, who recently signed a National Letter-of-Intent to wrestle for the local Division I program.

Bailey signed his National Letter-of-Intent here recently during a ceremony in the middle school auditorium that featured 13 Tioga seniors signing to play at the next level in four different sports.

“I loved the coaching staff, it’s a tight-knit team, and it’s really close to home, and that’s a very big draw for me,” said Bailey. “I’m very close to my family.

“Binghamton feels like home. I like where I’m at,” he added.

As a senior, Bailey, who is a two-time N.Y. state medalist, wrestled at 145 pounds, but at 6-foot, 3 1/2-inches tall he has plenty of room to add weight, and that’s exactly what the Binghamton coaching staff wants him to do.

“I’m focused on getting bigger,” he said.

“The saying is ‘it’s easier as you get bigger’ … I’m not sure if that’s true, but I’m going to get bigger, and work hard every day.

“Binghamton wants me as heavy as I can get,” noted Bailey. “They are projecting me at 184 pounds.

“It’s going to take some time, but I can see myself getting that big,” he added.

Bailey doesn’t have a timetable for getting on the mat at Binghamton.

“Right now, I’m playing it by ear,” he said. “I’m going to red-shirt my first year, and see what happens from there.”

Tioga coach Kris Harrington believes Bailey will be successful with the Division I Bearcats.

“Deakon’s length and size is uncommon … he’s an odd feel,” said Harrington. “He’s been working on gaining weight.

“It’s kind of a mystery where he’s going to end up in terms of weight class, but he’s really tough on top, and that’s a tough thing to learn in college, so to have that going in can be an X-factor,” noted Harrington.

“He works really hard, and there’s a great (coaching) staff there at Binghamton. I think they’ll be able to iron some things out for him.

“I like him at Binghamton,” added Harrington. “I think it’s a very good fit for him.”

Harrington said Bailey, known as the “bracket buster,” has some work to do before getting on the mats.

“He has to protect his legs a little bit better.

“He used his length to his advantage (in high school), but the success rate at finishes in Division I is much, much higher than it is in high school in New York,” said Harrington.

Bailey will be majoring in Nursing.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Deakon Bailey. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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