Class of 2017

Lenny Baker began wrestling as a 1st Grader for Warrensburg with his father Leonard Baker by his side as his coach. Winning wrestling awards in many elementary tournaments, statewide freestyle championships and empire state tournaments, Lenny went 95-5 in his pee-wee career before joining the Burgher Varsity squad as an 8th grader. Lenny would win 125 matches in his varsity career which would culminate with a victory over Matt Herrington in the finals of the Section 2 Championship in 1998. In the State Tournament Baker would lose a close match to the eventual state champion 3-1 in the quarter finals.

New York Wrestling Hall of Fame coach Don Murray saw Baker as a diamond in the rough when he brought him to Brockport to be on his wrestling team. Lenny set his goals on being an NCAA Champion and to be an All American.

Breaking into the starting lineup for the Golden Eagles in 2000 at 141 Lbs. Baker was an ECWC Champion and an Empire State Collegiate Champion as Brockport went 10-0 during the season. His 2001 campaign would be his best yet as the Eagles went 11-0-1 and Lenny won the Empire State Collegiate Championship, The ECWC Championship, and The PSC Open Championship and would accomplish his goals of becoming an NCAA Division III Champion and an All American.

Named Captain of the wrestling team, Lenny's 2002 season was over before it started when an injury to his neck at the beginning of the season forced him out of the lineup for the year and he red-shirted the season. Baker made his comeback year in 2003 at 149 Lbs. and was back up to form going 10-2 going into the ECWC tournament with his only loses to Division I wrestlers and being ranked number 2 in the country. Lenny suffered an injury to his knee in the finals that would end his chances at another NCAA Championship.

Lenny continued to teach wrestling and learning boxing and Jiu Jitsu. Using all these forms of fighting led to Lenny starting another career as an MMA fighter in 2012 under the moniker Lenny "Small Town" Baker. Lenny won his first several fights by first round KO using his wrestling style of fighting.

Lenny is the head wrestling coach of the Albany Academy Cadets and also teaches wrestling at the Curby 3 Style Wrestling Club with Joe Uccellini. Baker also works as a medical equipment sales rep for Zimmer New England.