Sports

Wantagh Wrestling Alum Closes Hofstra Career with Prestigious Academic Honor

Hofstra standout wrestler Steve Bonanno voted to the 2013 College Sports Information Directors of America-Capital One Academic All-District 1 Men's At-Large first team.

Wantagh’s Steve Bonanno is closing his Hofstra University wrestling career by picking up prestigious hardware for his hard work off the mats.

The 2008 Wantagh High School graduate was voted to the 2013 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)-Capital One Academic All-District 1 Men's At-Large first team this month. Bonanno.now advances to the men's at-large national ballot along with the first team honorees from the seven other districts. He was a 2012 CoSIDA-Capital One Men’s At-Large Academic All-American second team selection in 2012.

The Wantagh native, who earned Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors the last two years, received his undergraduate degree in accounting in May 2012. He returned to the Hofstra wrestling program for the 2012-13 school year to begin work on a MBA degree and complete his final year of eligibility on the collegiate mats.

Bonanno has twice been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic squad with the 2013 team announcement pending. He has also been a Dean’s List member during every semester at Hofstra, a five-time CAA Commissioner's Academic Award recipient and a member of the Hofstra Athletics Academic Honor Roll his entire career. In addition, the former standout wrestler at Wantagh High School was awarded the Dr. James M. Shuart Male Scholar-Athlete Award at the annual Hofstra Pride Student-Athlete Awards Banquet in May 2012.

On the mat, Bonanno, a 2012 NCAA All-American, was the CAA 125-pound champion in 2012 and 2013. Bonanno, a four-time NCAA Championship qualifier, closed out his Hofstra career by winning 12 of his last 17 matches to finish with a 103-50 mark.

At Wantagh High School, Bonanno captured a New York State Championship his senior season in 2008. He was also an Honorable mention All-American who was ranked 21st in the nation during his senior campaign for the Warriors.


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