How I Got Here Nick Sacco ’25

Wrestling is life, says reigning national champ.

Words by Kara Pothier

Nick Sacco ’25 / Photo credit: Michelle Gustafson

Wrestling is not just a sport; it’s a lifestyle. For me, it’s eating well, getting enough sleep, being on top of my grades. It’s discipline, and I believe wrestling embodies the idea of becoming a better human overall.

A big part of it is making sure my relationships with my family, my girlfriend, and my friends are in line. I don’t want outside stress factors when I’m going into a competition. There’s a balance between managing relationships and getting the support you need from the people who love you.

Being a wrestler is a tradition in my family. My dad wrestled. So did my uncles and cousins. And my brother, Matt Sacco ’23, was a TCNJ wrestler, too. Seeing him with the team made it an easy decision for me to come here.

I love TCNJ and the wrestling program. I’ve had a great time. As a sophomore, I placed fourth at the Division III national tournament for the 165-pounds weight class. And last year, I was a national champion.

Something I do really well is when I am on top of my opponent, I don’t let them escape or reverse me. It’s a big mental wear-down on my opponent. You can tell when the other guy just doesn’t want to wrestle you anymore because they’re mentally or physically broken. And when you get them to that negative state of mind, I find that it’s easier to score points and win matches.

The 2024 National Championship was in Wisconsin, and my family was there. For the finals, there was just one mat in the center of the arena, so they all sat just below the stage. It was really cool walking off the mat and immediately hugging my family. It’s something I’ll never forget.

People have asked if I feel a lot of pressure to win another national championship. The goal is to win. But for me, there is no pressure. I feel like it’s more freedom to achieve my goal again.

I am captain of the team, and I try to be there for every one of my teammates. I think the guys look up to me, or at least I hope they do. I want to build those young guys to be great young men of their own as they proceed through our program.

Wrestling has taught me to prioritize, and that’s a skill that has helped me in the working world, too. As a finance major, I interned last summer at RSM, an accounting firm. I was offered a consultant job there after graduation.

I have heard people say, “Once you wrestle, everything else in life is easy.” I believe that.