Coach of Year Nicola champion for sport
Without Brian Nicola, the Olentangy Orange girls wrestling team wouldn’t have enjoyed its historic season. And that goes beyond him being the Pioneers’ coach.
Nicola, who guided Orange to its first OHSAA state championship, has been a champion for girls wrestling. He’s been instrumental in the sport’s growth not only at his school but around Ohio.
In the sport’s second year under the OHSAA, the Pioneers finished with 95 points in the state tournament March 810 at Value City Arena, turning the tables on runner-up Harrison (83). Orange finished second (69) to Harrison (97) in 2023.
For his efforts this season, Nicola has been named The Dispatch’s All-metro Coach of the Year.
“The thing that has really sunk in about this is I continually think about all the little things that went into it and how the girls performed,” Nicola said. “We won so many close matches, and if any of those go another way, we don’t do this.”
Nicola took over the program when he swapped roles with Vanessa Oswalt, who was named the All-metro Coach of the Year in 2023. Nicola and Oswalt shared head-coaching duties in the 2021-22 season.
Orange won the state dual tournament, which is sponsored by the sport’s coaches association, in 2022 and 2023 and finished second to Harrison this season.
Nicola wants his wrestlers to work hard and have fun.
“When I coached the guys, I was always turned up to 11, and I realized that always doesn’t get the job done,” he said. “Sometimes you need to bring it down. I know they know how to wrestle. They lift all the time. They wrestle all the time. They love the sport and they love each other. It’s hard to get too upset, and if the wins don’t happen that’s OK, too, because of all the effort we’ve put in.”
Senior Surraiya Mahmud helped propel the Pioneers to the state title with a second-place finish at 155 pounds. She credits Nicola for the success.
“Nicola has meant a lot,” she said. “He’s been more than just a coach in this program, he’s been a mentor. Being able to have him in our building during a school day and being able to go to him and talk about anything other than just wrestling has been special.”
fdirenna@dispatch.com