Nick Piccininni

Nicholas Piccininni (born December 16, 1996) is an American graduated folkstyle wrestler. He is a three-time NCAA Division I All-American and a four-time Big 12 Conference champion out of Oklahoma State University and a four-time NYSPHSAA title holder as a high schooler.

Nick Piccininni
Personal information
Full nameNicholas Piccininni
NationalityAmerican
Born (1996-12-16) December 16, 1996
East Setauket, New York, U.S
ResidenceGilroy, California, U.S
Weight125 lb (57 kg)
Sport
CountryUnited States
SportWrestling
Event(s)Folkstyle
College teamOklahoma State Cowboys
ClubAmerican Kickboxing Academy
Coached byJohn Smith
Medal record
Collegiate Wrestling
Representing the Oklahoma State Cowboys
Big 12 Championships
2017 Tulsa125 lb
2018 Tulsa125 lb
2019 Tulsa125 lb
2020 Tulsa125 lb

High School

Piccininni was born on Setauket-East Setauket, New York and attended Ward Melville High School. He made the varsity team when he was in eighth grade, year in which he placed third at the state championships. He won the state title in every year of high school, making him a four-time NYSPHSAA champion at 4 different weight classes (106, 113, 120 & 126 respectively).[1] He also competed at the FloNationals, tournament in which he was the runner-up on 2013 and the champion on 2014. He graduated with a record of 226-3 and the 2015 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award.[2][3]

University

After graduation, he committed to Oklahoma State University and wrestled as a Cowboy.[4]

2015-2016

Used this season as his redshirt season, in which he compiled a 16-4 record in open tournaments.[5]

2016-2017

Compiled a record of 27 victories and 8 defeats overall. At the Big 12 Championships, he downed Josh Rodriguez in the finals to win the 125-pounds crown of the tournament.[6] He also had a 5-2 run at the NCAA championships, placing 4th and earning All-American honors.[7]

2017-2018

As a redshirt sophomore, he amassed 23 wins and 5 losses overall. He won his second Big 12 title in a row, pinning Zeke Moisey at the finals.[8] At the NCAA championships, he had a 2-2 run, not placing high enough to earn All-American status.[9]

2018-2019

As a junior, he amassed an incredible 34-2 record throughout the season. He captured his third-straight Big 12 championships in a decision at the finals.[10] He also captured All-American status for the second time with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships.[11]

2019-2020

In his final season (senior year) he captured 26 wins and 2 losses. He became the ninth Cowboy to win 4 conference titles when he defeated Alex Mackall in the finals of the Big 12 Conference championships.[12] Piccininni was seeded number 3 for the 2020 NCAA Championships, however, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making him and all the qualifiers unable to compete.[13] After the season, Piccininni earned All-American honors due to his performance throughout the season.[14][15]

Piccininni graduated from OSU with a 112-17 record, 4 Conference titles and earned All-American status three times throughout his four years of active competition.[16][2]

Coaching

Piccininni has expressed his desire on becoming an assistant coach at OKSU. On April 2020, it was announced that Piccininni joined the coaching staff of the wrestling team at Gilroy High School along notable athletes such as Daniel Cormier and Deron Winn.[17]

Freestyle wrestling

During his academic years, Piccinini never competed regularly as a freestyle wrestler but still attended a few youth level tournaments such as the World Team Trials and the UWW Nationals.[18]

2018

In 2018, Piccininni competed at the 23U National Championships in the 61 kilograms weight class.[19] He won four matches in a row but lost by technical fall in the semifinals and got thrown to the consolation bracket. He lost another match by fall and competed for the fifth place, match in which he was also pinned and due to that result he placed sixth.[20]

2019

He competed at the US Open in his first tournament as a senior. He won his first match by technical fall before losing to Darian Cruz on points. He won two more matches before being eliminated.[21]

Piccininni wrestled at Beat The Streets: Grapple at the Garden against Jack Mueller in his second and last senior freestyle competition.[22] He lost the bout by technical fall.[23]

Mixed martial arts career

On April 2020, Piccininni announced his transition to MMA and signed a contract with Zinkin Entertainment & Sports Management.[24] He started training at American Kickboxing Academy, MMA powerhouse where former Cowboys such as Daniel Cormier and Kyle Crutchmer train.[17][25][26]

Freestyle record
Senior Freestyle Matches
Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event Location
2019 Beat The Streets at 57 kg
Loss 7-4 Jack Mueller TF 0-10 May 6, 2019 2019 Beat The Streets: Grapple at the Garden

New York City, New York

2019 US Open at 57 kg
Loss 7-3 Frank Perrelli TF 0-10 April 24 - 27, 2019 2019 US Open Wrestling Championships

Las Vegas, Nevada

Win 7-2 Bernardino Gomez TF 10-0
Win 6-2 Ian Timmins 8-1
Loss 5-2 Darian Cruz 2-4
Win 5-1 Christian Sharp TF 10-0
2018 U23 Nationals 6th at 61 kg
Loss 4-1 Vito Arujau TF 0-10 June 1 – 3, 2018 2018 U23 National Championships & World Team Trials Qualifier

Akron, Ohio

Win 4-0 Jens Lantz 8-1
Win 3-0 Micky Phillippi 2-2
Win 2-0 Ryan Haskett 11-9
Win 1-0 Hunter Kosco TF 10-0

NCAA record
NCAA Championships Matches
Res. Record Opponent Score Date Event
2019 NCAA Championships 5th at 125 lbs
Win 11-6 Pat Glory Fall March 22, 2019 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Loss 10-6 Vito Arujau 1-5
Loss 10-5 Spencer Lee 4-11
Win 10-4 Pat Glory 9-5
Win 9-4 Elijah Oliver MD 13-2
Win 8-4 Korbin Meink Fall
2018 NCAA Championships at 125 lbs
Loss 7-4 Ethan Lizak TF 0-16 March 16, 2018 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Loss 7-3 Spencer Lee Fall
Win 7-2 Sean Russell 6-3
Win 6-2 Travis Piotrowski Fall
2017 NCAA Championships 4th at 125 lbs
Loss 5-2 Thomas Gilman 6-13 March 18, 2017 2017 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships
Win 5-1 Jack Mueller Injury
Win 4-1 Sean Russell SV-1 6-4
Win 3-1 Brock Hudkins 7-5
Loss 2-1 Thomas Gilman Fall
Win 2–0 Joshua Rodriguez 5-2
Win 1-0 Elijah Oliver Fall

Stats
Season Year School Rank Weigh Class Record Win Bonus
2020 Senior Oklahoma State University #2 (DNQ) 125 26-2 92.86% 71.43%
2019 Junior #3 (5th) 35-2 94.59% 75.68%
2018 Sophomore #7 (DNP) 24-5 82.76% 48.28%
2017 Freshman #8 (4th) 27-8 77.14% 34.29%
Career 112-17 86.84% 57.42%

Awards and honors
2020
2019
2018
2017
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gollark: Initiating orbital bee strike.

References
  1. Fan, Ryan. "He Does It Again: Nick Piccininni, Four Time State Champion". Kaleidoscope. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  2. "Nick Piccininni - 2019-20 - Wrestling". Oklahoma State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  3. "2015 Dave Schultz and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Awards Announced | National Wrestling Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  4. BV (2015-05-20). "Nick Piccininni Named First-Team All-American by ASICS". New York Wrestling News. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  5. "Nick Piccininni - 2019-20 - Wrestling". Oklahoma State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  6. "Oklahoma State Keeps Wrestling Hardware". big12sports.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  7. grappleCy (2017-03-20). "2017 NCAA Wrestling Championships Recap & Final Results/Brackets". Wide Right & Natty Lite. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  8. "See the results for the Big 12 Championship | 2018 NCAA Wrestling wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  9. "2018 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships" (PDF).
  10. "FLOARENA". arena.flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  11. NJ.com, Bill Evans and James Kratch | NJ Advance Media for (2019-03-23). "NCAA Wrestling Championships 2019 All-Americans: Meet the 10 national champions, NCAA All-Americans, medal winners". nj. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  12. Goodwin, Cody. "Wrestling: Two Cyclones, Two Panthers win Big 12 tournament titles". Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  13. "The First Comments from Cowboy Wrestling After the Cancellation of the NCAA Championships". Maven. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  14. "NWCA Division I Coaches Group announces 2020 All-America Teams". Team USA. April 17, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  15. "2020 NWCA Division I First Team All-Americans" (PDF). National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA).
  16. LLC, ACS. "Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State) Profile". www.wrestlestat.com. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  17. Cain, Brandon M. (2020-04-10). "Oklahoma State wrestling: Nick Piccininni signs with Zinkin MMA". Cowboys Ride For Free. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  18. "Nick Piccininni (St. James, NY) | Trackwrestling Profile". Trackwrestling. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  19. "Cowboy Wrestlers Set for U23 Nationals in Akron". Oklahoma State University Athletics. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  20. "Nick Piccininni - Placements - FloWrestling". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  21. "See the results for the 2019 US Open Wrestling Championships wrestling event on FloWrestling.org". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  22. Cain, Brandon M. (2019-05-03). "Oklahoma State's Nick Piccininni will wrestle Virginia's Jack Mueller at 2019 Beat the Streets". Cowboys Ride For Free. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  23. "2019 Beat the Streets Grapple at the Garden Results". Team USA. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  24. "Oklahoma State wrestling: Nick Piccininni signs with Zinkin MMA". News Break. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  25. Duckworth, Seth (2020-04-11). "Oklahoma State Wrestling: Nick Piccininni Announces Transition to MMA". Pistols Firing. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  26. "The Oklahoma State To MMA Pipeline Runs Right Through San Jose". www.flowrestling.org. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
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