NCAA Champion at 157 pounds went 27-0 while earning Super Region V title and First Team All-NSIC honors
BURNSVILLE, Minn. – St. Cloud State Wrestling true sophomore and reigning NCAA Champion 157-pounder Nick Novak has been named the 2023 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Year following a historic second season with the Huskies.
Novak went a perfect 27-0 while earning both Super Region V and NCAA Championships at 157 pounds. The New Prague, Minnesota native added a 10-0 dual record to earn First Team All-NSIC honors while recording eight major decisions, three tech falls, and two pins over the course of his sophomore season. A force at his new weight class after moving up in December following an injury at the Huskies’ middleweights, Novak went 5-0 against ranked opponents, including three straight ranked wins over No. 2 Gabe Johnson, No. 12 Ben Durocher and No. 10 Miles Fitzgerald in early January. Novak’s key decision over Johnson was one of the most influential bouts in the 2023 NWCA National Duals Championship match as the Huskies earned the title with a thrilling 19-16 victory over No. 1 Central Oklahoma.
The 18th National Champion and 151st All-American in program history is the eighth wrestler to earn Conference Wrestler of the Year honors under head coach Steve Costanzo, following John Sundgren (2011), Shamus O’Grady (2013), Tim Prescott (2015), Clint Poster (2016), Vince Dietz (2019), Kolton Eischens (2020) and Kameron Teacher (2021).
Information regarding single dual and season tickets can be found at scsutickets.com. For all the latest on St. Cloud State Wrestling, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.