Biography

“Athletes like Steven Mocco are among the success stories produced in high school athletics today,” NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. “He has worked extremely hard to develop his skills and has become one of the best wrestlers not only in the state of New Jersey, but the entire nation, and we are proud to be honoring him.”

Mocco won his fourth National Prep Championships title this year, making him the first wrestler in American high school history to win four state-level titles in the heavyweight division. He has won the Junior National Freestyle Championships the past two years without surrendering a single point. He was the Junior Hodge Trophy winner in 2001.

Mocco, who will attend the University of Iowa, also won the heavyweight championship in the NHSCA National High School Seniors Wrestling Championships last month at Newark, Delaware. He also became the first wrestler in the event’s 12-year history to win both individual awards, for the most falls in the least aggregate time and the Outstanding Wrestler award.

In college, Mocco went on to be a 2x NCAA Champion and a 2x NCAA Runner Up while competing two years for the University of Iowa (2002-2004) and Oklahoma State University (2004-2006). Mocco also represented the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Records

4x National Prep Champion

2001 NHSCA Senior National Champion

Professional Achievements

2008 Olympic Team Member

2x NCAA National Champion

2x NCAA National Runner Up

Personal Honors

Attended the University of Iowa before transferring to Oklahoma State University