Hustle. Effort. Attitude.

Wisconsin wrestling head coach Chris Bono continues to raise the standard for the Badgers each season.

Hired as the 16th head coach in UW history on March 24, 2018, Bono and his staff are rebuilding the Wisconsin wrestling program into a Big Ten and national powerhouse.

Entering his seventh season leading the Badgers in 2024-2025, Bono has compiled a 50-35 record at Wisconsin in six seasons at the helm competing in the nation's toughest wrestling conference — the Big Ten. Bono is 153-93 overall record in 15 seasons as a head coach after stints at Chattanooga and South Dakota State.

Wrestlers under his leadership have earned one NCAA Championship, 21 All-American honors and 24 conference championships. Bono is considered one of the nation's top coaches for helping wrestlers develop their top potential — both on and off the mat — and win the day!

Bono is married to Niki and has two daughters, Josie and Ellie.

It's a Great Day to be a Badger!

Bono has coached seven Badgers to 16 All-America honors. Most recently, senior Eric Barnett earned his third NCAA All-American honor at 125 pounds (2021, 2022, 2024) after finishing fourth overall at the 2024 NCAA Championships in Kansas City.

Dean Hamiti (165, 2023) and Austin Gomez (149, 2022) also earned the Badgers' Big Ten titles back-to-back under Bono's tenure and the first titles since 2016.

In total, Bono and the Badgers have qualified 37 wrestlers for the NCAA Championships in past six seasons and Wisconsin set a new record for highest single dual attendance (vs. Iowa, Jan. 22, 2023 – 5,256) during the past season at the UW Field House.

Before Wisconsin

Bono spent six seasons prior to being hired at Wisconsin as the head coach at South Dakota State, establishing the Jackrabbits as a national contender and a powerhouse in the Big 12, coaching three conference champions in the program's three years in the league.

The Jackrabbits had their best season in the final year under Bono. Two-time All-American Seth Gross - a future Badger All-American and Assistant Coach - won the program's first national title at 133 pounds while the team placed 12th in the NCAA tournament, the highest finish of any Big 12 team.

Bono had coached five All-Americans at South Dakota State, including three in his last season with the Jackrabbits. He produced two the year before, marking the first All-Americans for South Dakota State at the Division I level. Bono had at least one NCAA qualifier since taking the reins of the program and had a school-record seven in his final tournament with the Jackrabbits. Bono left SDSU with a 64-41 overall record, a total of 24 NCAA qualifiers, five All-Americans and one national champion.

Bono began his head coaching career with three seasons as the head coach at Chattanooga and led the Mocs to three Southern Conference titles, coaching two All-Americans and 19 NCAA qualifiers from 2006-09.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Iowa State, for nine years and was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002.

NCAA Champion and World Team Wrestler

Bono was an NCAA champion, three-time NCAA All-American, four-time NCAA qualifier and a two-time Big 12 champion for Iowa State with a career college record of 128-34. He placed fifth at the NCAA championships as a sophomore in 1995 before winning the 150-pound crown in 1996 and placing second in 1997.

Bono was a member of U.S. freestyle World championships teams in 2001, 2002 and 2005 and was a four-time freestyle national champion. He took first at the World Cup in both 2002 and 2003 and is a three-time USA World Team member. He was also a three-time state wrestling champion for Bolles High School in Jacksonville, Florida from 1990-92.

Honors and Awards

Hall of Fame Honors

2004 Florida High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame
2018 Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame - Iowa
2023 National Wrestling Hall of Fame - Florida
2024 Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic Hall of Fame
2024 Florida Wrestling Hall of Fame

NCAA Champions

Seth Gross: 2018 NCAA Champion (133)

NCAA All-Americans (12 Individuals, 21 Honors)

Eric Barnett (3): 2021 8th, 2022 7th, 2024 4th (125)
Dean Hamiti (2): 2022 6th, 2023 6th (165)
Trent Hillger (4): 2019 8th, 2020*, 2021 6th, 2023 8th (285)
Austin Gomez: 2022 4th (149)
Seth Gross (3): 2017 2nd, 2018 1st, 2020* (133)
Tristan Moran: 2020* (141)
Evan Wick (2): 2019 4th, 2020* (165)
Alex Kocer: 2017 8th (149)
Dave Kocer: 2018 7th (174)
Luke Zilverburg: 2018 8th (157)
Cody Cleveland: 2008 8th (141)
Matt Keller: 2007 4th (133)

* No NCAA Championships in 2020 due to COVID. The Nationa l Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) instead awarded All-America honors.

Conference Champions (18 Individuals, 24 Titles)

Dean Hamiti: 2023 Big Ten Champion (165)
Austin Gomez: 2022 Big Ten Champion (149)
Seth Gross (2): 2017 & 2018 Big 12 Champion (125)
Nate Rotert: 2018 Big 12 Champion (197)
Cody Cleveland (2): 2008 & 2009 SoCon Champion (141)
Josh Edmondson (2): 2007 & 2008 SoCon Champion (184)
Seth Garvin (2): 2008 & 2009 SoCon Champion (157)
Demetrius Johnson: 2009 SoCon Champion (125)
Josh Keefe: 2007 SoCon Champion (141)
Matt Keller: 2007 SoCon Champion (133)
Joey Knox (2): 2008 (149) & 2009 SoCon Champion (157)
Matt Koz: 2007 SoCon Champion (285)
Javier Maldonado (2): 2007 & 2008 SoCon Champion (125)
Jason McCroskey: 2009 SoCon Champion (174)
Lloyd Rogers: 2008 SoCon Champion (174)
T.J. Sayers: 2007 SoCon Champion (165)
Dan Waddell: 2009 SoCon Champion (149)
Jake Yost: 2007 SoCon Champion (157)

Academic Honors

NWCA 2023 #3 NCAA Division 1 Scholar All-America Team in the Nation
NWCA Scholar All-Americans: 21
Big Ten Distinguished Scholars (3.7+ GPAs): 14
Academic All-Big Ten Honors (3.0+ GPAs): 54
College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District: 3

Year-By-Year Coaching Record

YEAR	TEAM	DUAL	PCT.	CONF.	TOURN. FINISH	NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP
2023-24	Wisconsin	9-7	.563	Big Ten	8th	18th / 24.5 points; 5 qualifiers
2022-23	Wisconsin	8-8	.500	Big Ten	8th	16th / 29.0 points; 8 qualifiers
2021-22	Wisconsin	12-2	.857	Big Ten	8th	14th / 38.5 pounts; 9 qualifiers
2020-21	Wisconsin	1-6	.143	Big Ten	12th	23rd / 18.5 points; 4 qualifiers
2019-20	Wisconsin	11-6	.647	Big Ten	9th	Canceled; 5 qualifiers
2018-19	Wisconsin	9-6	.600	Big Ten	7th	21st / 27 points; 6 qualifiers
Total	6th Year	50-35	.588			37 qualifiers
2017-18	South Dakota State	14-2	.875	Big 12	3rd	12th / 42.0 points
2016-17	South Dakota State	14-5	.737	Big 12	3rd	16th / 28.5 points
2015-16	South Dakota State	14-6	.700	Big 12	4th	5 qualifiers
2014-15	South Dakota State	11-8	.579	WWC	3rd	3 qualifiers
2013-14	South Dakota State	6-8	.429	WWC	5th	3 qualifiers
2012-13	South Dakota State	5-12	.294	WWC	5th	1 qualifier
Total	6 Years	64-41	.610			24 qualifiers
2008-09	Chattanooga	12-10	.545	Southern	1st	T-52nd
2007-08	Chattanooga	11-6	.647	Southern	1st	37th
2006-07	Chattanooga	16-1	.941	Southern	1st	21st
Total	3 Years	39-17	.696			19 qualifiers
OVERALL	15th Year	153-93	.622

Image	Full Name	Ht.	Wt.	Year	Hometown / High School
	Braxton Amos	5' 11''	197	Fr.	Mineral Wells, W.V. / Parkersburg South
	Cale Anderson	5' 9''	157	Fr.	Viroqua, Wis. / Viroqua
	Cody Anderson	6' 0''	157	So.	Waukee, Iowa / Waukee
	Eric Barnett	5' 6''	125	Jr.	Greenville, Wis. / Hortonville
	Kyle Burwick	5' 4''	133	R-So.	Hettinger, ND / Hettinger
	Graham Calhoun	5' 10''	174	Fr.	Plymouth, Ind. / Plymouth
	Peter Christensen	6' 2''	285	Jr.	Norridge, Ill. / Montini Catholic
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	Dominic Dentino	5' 6''	141	R-Jr.	Brookfield, Wis. / Arrowhead
	Tyler Dow	5' 10''	174	R-Jr.	Stoughton, Wis. / Stoughton
	Brooks Empey	6' 2''	197	Fr.	Stoughton, Wis. / Stoughton
	Austin Gomez	5' 6''	149	R-Jr.	Carol Stream, Ill. / Glenbard North
	Dean Hamiti	6' 0''	165	Fr.	Joliet, Ill. / Joliet Catholic Academy
	Trent Hillger	6' 1''	285	R-Sr.	Holly, Mich. / Lake Fenton
	Liam Hughes	5' 9''	157	Fr.	Pewaukee, Wis. / Marquette University High School
	Anders Lantz	5' 10''	174	R-Sr.	Ellsworth, Wis. / Ellsworth
	Andrew McNally	6' 0''	174	R-Sr.	Uniontown, Ohio / Lake
	Aidan Medora	5' 8''	149	So.	Wauwatosa, Wis. / Brookfield Academy
	Kevin Meicher	5' 10''	157	R-So.	Middleton, Wisconsin / Middleton
	Garrett Model	6' 0''	157	R-Sr.	Stoughton, Wis. / Stoughton
	Gavin Model	6' 1''	165	R-Fr.	Stoughton, Wis. / Stoughton
	Josh Otto	5' 9''	165	R-So.	Brookfield, Wis. / Arrowhead
	Ethan Rotondo	5' 6''	125	R-Sr.	Vancouver, Wash. / Union
	Andrew Salemme	6' 4''	285	R-Jr.	Wauwatosa, Wis. / Marquette
	Andrew Sanders	6' 0''	184	Fr.	Hopkins, Minn. / Minnetonka
	Drew Scharenbrock	5' 7''	157	R-Jr.	Sun Prairie, Wis. / Sun Prairie
	Jonah Schmidtke	6' 2''	285	Fr.	Clovis, Calif. / Clovis East
	Jack Severin	5' 8''	141	Fr.	Kewaunee, Wis. / Kewaunee
	Chris Weiler	6' 0''	184	R-Sr.	Biglerville, Pa. / Wyoming Seminary
	Joseph Zargo	5' 8''	141	Fr.	South River, N.J. / Bergen Catholic

Coaching Staff
Image	Name	Title	Email	Phone Number
	Chris Bono	Head Coach	CMB@athletics.wisc.edu	608-263-7289
	Jon Reader	Associate Head Coach	JTR@athletics.wisc.edu
	Seth Gross	Assistant Coach	SAG@athletics.wisc.edu	608-890-1453

Support Staff
Image	Name	Title	Email	Phone Number
	Billy Breider	Assistant Director of Olympic Strength & Conditioning
	Gary Johnson	Athletic Trainer	GBJ@athletics.wisc.edu	608-262-8038
	Nick Aures	Director of Performance Nutrition	NAA@athletics.wisc.edu	608-630-1591
	Sean Smalley	Program Assistant	tickets@uwbadgers.com	608-262-1440
	Jessica Burda	Brand Communications	JDB@athletics.wisc.edu

University of Wisconsin Athletics

2021-22 Wrestling Roster

Braxton Amos

Cale Anderson

Cody Anderson

Eric Barnett

Kyle Burwick

Graham Calhoun

Peter Christensen

Dominic Dentino

Tyler Dow

Brooks Empey

Austin Gomez

Dean Hamiti

Trent Hillger

Liam Hughes

Anders Lantz

Andrew McNally

Aidan Medora

Kevin Meicher

Garrett Model

Gavin Model

Josh Otto

Ethan Rotondo

Andrew Salemme

Andrew Sanders

Drew Scharenbrock

Jonah Schmidtke

Jack Severin

Chris Weiler

Joseph Zargo

Chris Bono

Jon Reader

Seth Gross

Billy Breider

Gary Johnson

Nick Aures

Sean Smalley

Jessica Burda