Hawk Item
• Four-time All-American — the 25th four-time All-American in program history
• Two-time world age-group medalist
• Won gold at 2021 U23 Men’s Freestyle World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia… outscored opponents, 36-8, en route to first place at 125 kg
• Made U23 men’s world freestyle team after winning U23 National Championships in 2022 in Ohio
• Earned bronze at the 2022 U23 UWW World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.
2022-23
• NCAA All-American, placing fourth at 285 at the NCAA Championships
• Finished third at Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth into NCAA Championships
• Advanced to NCAA semifinals for second time in his career
• No. 4 seed at the NCAA Championships
• Went 25-5 overall with 16 bonus point wins (11 falls, five majors)
• 25 wins were tied for the most on the team
• 11 falls are the most by a Hawkeye since 2017
• Went 13-2 in duals and 5-2 in Big Ten duals
• Scored 64 dual team points — the most on the team
• Ranked in the top four of the national rankings throughout the season
• Had four straight falls to open the season and a career-best stretch of five consecutive falls during the year
• Soldier Salute champion, pinning his way to the title
• Had a stall out victory in dual win over Illinois and a forfeit victory against Purdue
• Went 9-5 against ranked opponents
• Recipient of the Coaches Appreciation Award
• Academic All-Big Ten selection
• Letterwinner
2021-22
• NCAA All-American
• Placed 7th at NCAA Championships
• Placed second at Big Ten Championships
• Climbed as high as No. 3 in the national rankings
• Posted a 19-4 season record at 285 pounds, 13-2 in dual competition and 7-1 in Big Ten duals
• Scored 57 team points in dual competition
• Tied for the team lead with three pins and tallied four major decisions
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Letterwinner
2020-21
• UWW U23 World Champion (125 kg)
• All-American
• Placed third at the NCAA Championships
• Placed third at the Big Ten Championships
• Reached as high as No. 3 in the national rankings
• Only three losses of the season were to Gable Steveson (2) and Mason Paris, the NCAA champion and NCAA runner-up
• Earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships, where he was the No. 5 seed
• 10 wins over ranked opponents
• Started all five conference duals, posting a 4-1 record
• Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (2/9)
• Tied for team lead with five major decisions and ranked second with five falls
• Academic All-Big Ten
• NWCA Scholar Athlete
• Letterwinner
2019-20
• All-American
• Seeded third at the NCAA Championships
• Placed third at the Big Ten Championships to earn automatic berth to the national tournament
• Midlands Champion, recording two falls and three decisions to win 285-pound title
• Recorded 20-3 overal record, including nine wins over ranked opponents
• Started every dual at 285 pounds
• Only three losses of the season were to No. 1 Gable Steveson (2) and No. 2 Mason Parris
• Reached as high as No. 3 in national rankings
• Scored bonus points in 10-of-20 wins, including seven falls
• Recorded a fall in 0:20 seconds
• 6-1 record at Carver-Hawkeye Arena
• Amateur Wrestling News All Rookie First Team
• Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner
• NWCA Scholar American
• Academic All-Big Ten
• Letterwinner
2018-19
• Recorded an overall record of 20-2 competing unattached at 285 pounds
• Competed in five tournament, winning titles at the Grand View Open, Lindenwood Open, UNI Open, and Loras Open
• Named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week after pinning his way to the title at the UNI Open… placed seventh at the Midlands Championships
• Won 14 matches by fall, 13 of which ended in the first period, five within the first minute
• His fastest fall was 25 seconds
• Won the 125 kg title at the 2019 UWW Junior Nationals
High School
• Two-time Illinois high school state champion
• Compiled a perfect 100-0 record as a junior (52-0) and senior (48-0)
• Allowed zero offensive points as a junior and senior
• 52 wins in 2016-17 are a school record
• Set school records for pins (35) and takedowns (220) in a season
• Pinned all four opponents in under two minutes at the 2018 IHSA state tournament
• Three-time conference champion… three time state medalist, placing third in 2016 as a sophomore, recording a 44-3 record
• Was 29-5 as freshman before injury ended his season
• Three-time Team MVP
• Placed third in folkstyle and freestyle at 2015 Fargo cadet.
• Placed second at 2016 Fargo junior freestyle national championships and third at 2016 Fargo Greco-Roman national championships
• Junior Triple Crown winner (folkstyle, freestyle, Greco-Roman national champion) in 2017 and 2018
• Junior Pan Am Games (Lima, Peru) champion in 2017
• Played football tackle and guard his sophomore and junior seasons
Personal
• Born December 1, 1999
• Son of Tony and Erica Cassioppi
• Oldest of six children, siblings include Giovanni, Rose, Angelina, Rocco, and Bruno
• Earned his bachelor’s degree in math and sports and recreation management
• Currently working on his master’s degree in finance
| Overall | Dual | Big Ten Dual | Dual Pts. | Big Ten | NCAA | OT | MD | TF | Pins | Fastest | |
| Year | Record | Record | Record | Scored | Place | Place | W/L | W/L | W/L | W/L | Pin |
| 2019-20 | 20-3 | 11-2 | 7-2 | 45 | 3rd | AA | 0-0 | 3-0 | 0-0 | 7-1 | 0:20 |
| 2020-21 | 13-3 | 4-1 | 4-1 | 21 | 3rd | 3rd | 0-0 | 5-2 | 0-0 | 5-1 | 0:23 |
| 2021-22 | 19-4 | 13-2 | 7-1 | 57 | 2nd | 7th | 1-1 | 3-1 | 0-0 | 3-1 | 1:14 |
| 2022-23 | 25-5 | 13-2 | 5-2 | 64 | 3rd | 4th | 2-0 | 5-0 | 0-1 | 11-1 | 0:53 |
| Career | 77-15 | 41-7 | 23-6 | 190 | — | — | 3-1 | 16-3 | 0-1 | 26-4 | 0:20 |
