Max Steigauf / Sports Director

A longtime St. Cloud State Huskies wrestling supporter, John A. Peterson, is being enshrined in the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in Belgrade, Serbia on Friday.

John A. Peterson has been a volunteer assistant coach with the Huskies since the 2009-2010 season. Peterson also helps the St. Cloud wrestlers with personal growth. Many of the Husky wrestlers talk about how Peterson has helped them develop inside and outside the wrestling room.

Peterson was a two time Olympic medalist. He won his first Olympic medal, a silver medal, in 1972 in Munich, Germany. In 1976 in Montreal, Canada, Peterson would reach the pinnacle of freestyle wrestling. Peterson won a gold medal for the United States when he defeated the Soviet Union’s 82 kilogram wrestler Viktor Novozhilov in the gold medal match.

Peterson’s brother, Ben, is also being inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame. Ben Peterson also won two Olympic medals. His first medal was a gold in the 1972 in Munich and later won a silver in 1976 in Montreal.

When Huskies head wrestling coach Steve Costanzo was asked about John receiving this honor he said, “John is very deserving of this honor and is one of the greatest American wrestlers in the history of our sport. More importantly, he is a class act and a man of the Lord. Our guys
look to him for guidance and he has dedicated his life to making our people the best they can be. I am very happy for John and his family – this is a great honor for them!”

The Huskies wrestling team will get its 2022-23 season underway with the Red and Black Classic on October 27, at 7:00 pm in Halenbeck Hall.