Gerry Maurey followed his elder brothers Jim and Don onto the wrestling mats at Clearfield (PA) high school and at Penn State University. Under the tutelage of legendary coach Art Weiss at Clearfield, Maurey became the first four-time Pennsylvania High School wrestling champion.
Unable to compete collegiately for Penn State as a freshman, Maurey demonstrated his wrestling prowess in the freestyle wrestling world. He made the first USA Pan Am team as a freshman beating out George Feuerbach, Alan Rice and Murray Edelman for the spot.
During his sophomore season Maurey went undefeated at 137 pounds until the finals of the EIWA tournament where he lost to three-time champion Feuerbach of Lehigh. He later that year beat both Rice and Feuerbach to earn 2nd place in the National AAU tournament.
Maurey won his first EIWA title his junior year at 137 pounds, pinning all four of his opponents. He was instrumental in helping the 1953 Nittany Lions win their first NCAA team championship. He lost to fellow Pennsylvanian and eventual champion Gus DeAugustino in an early round but came back to place 3rd.
During his senior season, Maurey wrestled Hall of Famer Eddie Eichelberger to a 5-5 draw up at 147 pounds in the Lehigh-Penn State dual meet. At the end of the season Maurey dropped back down to his usual 137-pound weight class where he successfully defended his EIWA title. At the NCAA tournament, he was upended by Oklahoma State icon Myron Roderick 5-2, but again came back through the consolations to finish in third place.
After graduation, Maurey spent many years coaching wrestling at numerous schools including five seasons at Clearfield High School (replacing Art Weiss), Bloomsburg University, and initiating and coaching the Florida A&M University wrestling program. He is now retired and lives in Tallahassee with his wife of 60 years, Betty.
