Wisconsin Badgers

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)

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