Chris Bono left South Dakota State for a new job last week. He announced his move to the University of Wisconsin of the Big Ten March 24, not long after Seth Gross won SDSU’s first NCAA Division I Championship.
It all happened so fast. There was some confusion, a little bit of heart break, but ultimately there’s gratitude for Bono and his assistant coach Jon Reader, who is leaving for Wisconsin as well. In honor of everything Bono has done at SDSU, The Collegian wanted to say thank you and we’ll miss you.
Thank you for your dedication.
Bono’s been wrestling since he was five years old. This dedication to wrestling won him many awards from high school state Championships to being a three time world wrestling team member.
This dedication also called him back into the sport after selling medical equipment for Stryker.
“When you put your head down at night, you know where you want to be and for me it was always getting back into wrestling,” Bono said.
We also give major props to Bono for getting up at 4:30 a.m. everyday to work out. That’s truly insane.
Thank you for your passion.
Bono was the most energetic coach at SDSU.
“He is always fired up, there is never a time where you don’t get that,” Gross said this year.
Even just through photos and videos, Bono’s energy and intensity is always evident.
“I’m probably not all there,” Bono said. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”
His passion showed through his relationship with the team, the SDSU campus and the Brookings community, too. He really wanted to get to know the people around him.
Through community service he said the team was “bringing in better kids and they are behaving better socially.”
Thank you for your legacy.
Since 2012, Bono’s leadership has improved the program and taken it to a greater level. His final record after six years at SDSU was 64-41.
Along with being part of SDSU’s first Division I NCAA Championship, he sent 24 Jackrabbit wrestlers to the NCAA wrestling tournament.
He brought so much school pride to SDSU—made us standout—even feared—in the wrestling world.
We hope your vacation to Brookings comes sooner than later. You’ll look good in red and white, but always look best in blue and yellow in our eyes.
Stance:
We’ll miss you, Bono.
The Collegian Editorial Board meets weekly and agrees on the issue of the editorial. The editorial represents the opinion of The Collegian.
