Why the future still burns bright for this Rochester wrestler despite missing state finals
ROCHESTER — Nolan Mrozowski never had a serious injury in his life.
Not until he was right on the precipice of what would’ve been a truly historic wrestling season at Rochester.
The 150-pound senior had already achieved several program records, including most wins (42), most pins (33) and most takedowns (57) in a season to name a few.
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He is also just the second wrestler in school history — alongside 2018 graduate Nick Capriotti — to earn a state medal. Last season, he nabbed fifth place at 145 pounds in Class 2A.
Mrozowski, a three-time state qualifier, had bigger things in store this season. But those ambitions were dashed by an ACL tear in December.
“I was going into the season with the mind of winning a state championship for Rochester and be the first one to do it,” Mrozowski said, before adding, “It’s been a shock to me because for 17 years of my life I’ve never had a serious injury and then this happens to me in my senior year.”
Time heals all wounds
It was an equally devastating loss for the program. He was the team's epicenter.
“He was like our bell cow,” Rochester coach Brad Alewelt said. “He was our guy that was really leading the group – just a great wrestler and a great leader. You’re going to do what this guy says because he’s proven it to you every day that he’s the man. Other people stepped up, but we had so much high hopes for this guy.”
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Mrozowski still retains a silver lining.
He will resume his wrestling career at NCAA Division II McKendree University. The Bearcats are currently ranked No. 9 in the nation as a team, according to the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association DII poll. He participated in Rochester’s signing day on Wednesday.
“It was really rewarding because I’ve always trained to wrestle in college and finding out you get a signing day, I thought that was really cool,” Mrozowski said.
That’s where his focus is now.
“Ever since I’ve been committed, I haven’t really been thinking much about that stuff,” Mrozowski said, referring to this weekend’s state finals in Champaign. “I’m thinking about the future and try to get all-American in that and hopefully win a national title in that, too.”
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Premier athlete
A friend, Luke Gribbins, introduced the idea of wrestling to Mrozowski in third grade.
Mrozowski said he gave it a shot because his other sports weren’t working out at the time. It ultimately became his niche.
“When I was little, I liked taking down people,” Mrozowski said. “It was fun to me. But now it’s more like a chess game and there’s a lot to the process. You put in a lot of work to perfect your technique, so that’s what I really love about it.”
Mrozowski has also starred in football and track and field over his high school career.
This past fall, he was an integral part of the football team’s first state title since 2019 as a running back and linebacker.
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“If you’re a football player, I think you should be wrestling because it really helps you tackle,” Mrozowski said. “With running the ball, footwork is probably the big key and help you have quicker movements.”
He rushed for 1,273 yards and 24 touchdowns while also supplying 27 tackles and two interceptions. He additionally qualified for the 2A boys track and field state finals in the 300-meter hurdles last spring.
“I think that’s the way you should do it in high school: do as many sports as you can and when you figure out your best sport, you focus on that one,” Alewelt said. “And I think when he just focuses on wrestling, it’s going to be something to see (at McKendree).”
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His little brother, Nic, wrestles as a freshman, but Mrozowski has another resource up his sleeve. He has also sparred in open gyms at Chatham Glenwood since freshman year. He has especially befriended fellow state qualifier John Ben Maduena over that time.
“He’s my best friend, I talk to him every day,” Mrozowski said of Maduena, a senior at Glenwood. “He helped me get better as a bottom wrestler because he’s so good at top.”
Road to recovery
Mrozowski underwent surgery over the holidays.
Over the ensuing two weeks, Mrozowski said he primarily just laid in bed and went to physical therapy.
“It was kind of boring,” Mrozowski said. “It was probably like the first break I’ve had in sports since before high school. I like to keep myself busy in sports.”
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He can now gingerly move around in a knee brace and visits St. John’s TherapyCare in Rochester twice a week. He is also lifting and expects to be cleared by late August or early September.
Mrozowski’s past résumé is a testament to his intestinal fortitude to overcome the setback.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Future in college wrestling is tonic for injured Nolan Mrozowski
