The National Wrestling Coaches Association is proud to announce Russ  Hellickson of Ohio State University as the NWCA Head Coach of the Year and  Chris Bono of Iowa State University as the NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year  for the 2001-02 season.    Russ Hellickson guided Ohio State to one of its finest season's ever  compiling a 20-3 dual meet record.  The Buckeyes season was highlighted with  a second place finish at the 2002 Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals held at  Ohio State.  Hellickson's team was ranked as high as second in the national  polls after defeating Oklahoma State and Oklahoma and finished the season  ranked 5th in the final NWCA Dual Meet Poll.  Ohio State went onto finish  4th at the Big Ten Championships with four finalist and Tommy Rowlands  capturing an individual title at heavyweight.  The Buckeyes qualified nine  wrestlers for the NCAA Championships were the team finished 6th with three  All-Americans including National Champion Tommy Rowlands. Hellickson was  also named C0-Coach of the Year in the Big Ten with J Robinson.    Iowa State Assistant Coach, Chris Bono was highly instrumental in leading  the Cyclones to a second place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships with  five All-Americans.  The Cyclones put together an impressive NCAA Tournament  that saw Aaron Hoelker at 149lbs, Joe Heskett at 165lbs and Cael Sanderson  at 197lbs capture individual titles.  Sanderson completed one of the most  storied careers in all of college athletics by capturing four individual  titles and finishing his career at a 159-0.  Iowa State finished the season  with a 17-5 dual meet record and a fourth place finish at the Cliff  Keen/NWCA National Duals.  In addition, Iowa State placed two wrestlers on  the NWCA All-Academic Team.    NWCA President Roger Reina commented on this year's recipients, "Head Coach  Russ Hellickson has been a leader and highly respected member of the  coaching fraternity and we are more than honored to recognize him and Ohio  State for their achievements this season. Chris Bono is one of the bright  young coaches in the country and his influence on the Iowa State wrestling  program is remarkable. Congratulations are in order on behalf of the NWCA  Board of Directors to these two standout coaches."    Coaches who win this award must sit out three years before being able to be  eligible for being honored again.  Head Coaches ineligible to receive the  award include J Robinson of Minnesota, Bobby Douglas of Iowa State and Jim  Zalesky of Iowa while ineligible assistant coaches include Jim Heffernan of  Illinois, Tom Brands of Iowa and Marty Morgan of Minnesota.    Hellickson and Bono will be honored at the NWCA Convention in Stillwater, OK  on June 7 and at the 2003 NCAA Championships in Kansas City.