Tony Cassioppi joined the Wisconsin wrestling coaching staff in 2024 as an assistant coach.
A four-time All-American heavyweight at Iowa and an Under-23 World Champion at 125 kilograms, Cassioppi will begin his coaching career as a Badger.
“Tony is an outstanding young man and a proven competitor,” said Bono. “His success on the mat at the NCAA and on the world stage speaks for itself. Tony’s high character and relentless work ethic were very apparent in the interview process! I am extremely excited that he wants to start his coaching career here at UW!”
Hailing from Roscoe, Illinois, Cassioppi has been a perennial starter for the Hawkeyes on the mat and a powerhouse among the Big Ten’s big men.
Cassioppi is only the 25th four-time All-American in Iowa’s program history, advancing to the national tournament semifinals twice and placing third at 285 pounds for his highest finish in 2021 while helping Iowa win its 24th NCAA title as a team. He earned NCAA All-America honors in 2019, 2021 and 2022, while earning NWCA All-America honors in 2020 (due to the COVID pandemic). He never finished lower than third at the Big Ten Championships, earning automatic qualifications each of the four years he competed for the Hawkeyes. Overall, Cassioppi completed his wrestling career at Iowa with a 90-17 record, including 58 bonus-point victories with 40 pins.
On the international mat, Cassioppi is a two-time world age-group medalist. He won gold at the 2021 U23 Men’s Freestyle World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia and outscored his opponents 36-8 en route to first place at 125 kilograms. He would go on to win the USA Wrestling U23 National Championships in 2022 and earn a bronze medal at the 2022 U23 United World Wrestling Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.
The wrestler has also been a force in the classroom, earning four Academic-All-Big Ten honors and was also a four-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American. The four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes earned two bachelor’s degrees as a double major in both math and sports & recreation management and also graduated this May with his master’s degree in finance. He was awarded Iowa’s Coaches Appreciation Award in 2023 and Most Courageous Award in 2024.
“I am excited and proud to be joining the University of Wisconsin wrestling program,” said Cassioppi. “I look forward to working with a great group of athletes and helping them achieve their goal of winning NCAA championships both as individuals and as a team.
“Coach Bono and Coach Reader will be great mentors for me, and I look forward to growing as a coach and leader. Growing up only an hour south of Madison, I have a lot of fond memories of training with the Wisconsin RTC (Regional Training Center) and watching Badger football games as a high schooler. I am excited to start my coaching career in a place with so much passion and commitment! It’s a great day to be a Badger!”
Tony Cassioppi is declared the winner of his heavyweight wrestling match at the 2023 NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Cassoppi wrestled for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
