Patrick Cucci was born in Illinois. He moved to Florida at an early age and lettered at Southeast High School in Bradenton in baseball, football, and wrestling. Cucci was all-county and all-conference linebacker in football, and state champion in wrestling his senior year. He graduated from Appalachian State University as a physical education major. While attending the university he was on their wrestling team and was the southern conference champion at 150 pounds in 1980. When he graduated he came to Florida to coach the UCF wrestling team.
From the guide to the Patrick Cucci UCF Wrestling collection, 1983-1986, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, )