Coaching Staff
Brady Wilson
Assistant Coach
Brady Wilson enters his 14th season as the lead assistant for St. Cloud State Wrestling in 2024-25, his fifth campaign under the title of associate head coach.
A fixture both matside and in the wrestling room, the Huskies have gone 204-8 (.962) including a near-perfect 100-1 in NSIC duals since Wilson joined the staff in 2011-12. St. Cloud State has earned five NCAA Championships, seven NWCA National Dual Championships, ten Super Region Championships and 12 NSIC Championships with Wilson serving as top assistant.
The former four-time All-American heavyweight has earned a strong reputation for developing upper weight stars at St. Cloud State. Wilson’s heavyweight has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 10 of his 11 seasons on staff headlined by four-time All-American Austin Goergen, two-time All-American and 2021 NCAA Champion Kameron Teacher and two-time All-American Jake Kahnke. Five straight 197-pounders have earned All-American status with Vince Dietz twice finishing runner-up and Noah Ryan earning three consecutive All-American honors. At 184, eight of Wilson’s 11 seasons have sent a representative to the NCAA Tournament including National Champions Derek Skala (2012) and Shamus O’Grady (2013).
Since Wilson was appointed to the coaching staff, 77 of the Huskies’ 99 NCAA Qualifiers (77.7%) have earned All-American status. 90 Huskies have earned All-NSIC recognition with nine conference Wrestlers of the Year and six conference Rookies of the Year.
Wilson has been a key factor in St. Cloud State’s success off the mat, as 129 wrestlers have earned NWCA All-Academic status along with 82 Academic All-NSIC honorees and 10 CoSIDA Academic All-American nods.
A 2009 graduate of Minnesota State University, Wilson served as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater in 2010-11 and he received a graduate degree in sports management from Minnesota State University in 2011. He helped lead the MSU Mavericks to a top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships, coaching three All-Americans and six national qualifiers.
Wilson brings a wealth of collegiate wrestling experience to the St. Cloud State wrestling room. At Minnesota State, Wilson was a four-time All-American, a four-time conference champion and a four-time NCAA regional champion during his collegiate wrestling career. At the NCAA Division II championships, Wilson earned top five NCAA finishes at heavyweight in all four seasons of his career, including a runner-up finish in 2010.
He set a record at Minnesota State with 143 wins during his career and he was named both MSU Athlete and Student-Athlete of the Year in 2010.
A 2005 graduate of Faribault High School in Faribault, Minn., Wilson was a 2005 MSHSL State Champion while posting a 109-30 career record as a prep athlete. At Faribault High School, Wilson also gained NHSCA, Greco Juniors and Fila Freestyle All-America accolades.
John A. Peterson
Volunteer Assistant Coach
John Peterson, an Olympic champion, two-time Olympic medalist, three-time World Cup champion and a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, will be assisting the St. Cloud State University wrestlers this season with personal development.
Peterson earned a silver medal as a freestyle wrestler at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, then won the 180.5-pound freestyle gold medal at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, Canada. He earned World Cup championships in 1973, 1975 and 1980. As a collegiate wrestler at Wisconsin-Stout, he was an NAIA All-American (fifth place) in 1971 and earned three conference titles. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1986.
He has shared his faith with people around the world, working with Athletes In Action and Campus Crusade for Christ. Along with his brother, fellow Olympic wrestling champion Ben Peterson, the duo founded Camp of Champs in 1977. The Wisconsin-based camp combines intense training and competition with recreation and character training from a biblical perspective.
“We are very fortunate to have John work with our student-athletes on a personal basis,” said Coach Steve Costanzo. “John is a great role model and I believe our men will learn a lot from him.”