WELCOME TO NINO’S NATTY LUNCH, MIDDAY DINING EXPERIENCE OVER MANY SANDWICHES AND MILLIE’S ICE CREAM. ALL THE CHOICE OF THE CITY’S NEWEST CHAMPION. WHY THE MANY SANDWICHES? IS IT SOMETHING YOU SAID? YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, I HAD ONE OF THE INTERVIEWS. THE GUY WAS ASKED ME, LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOUR PITTSBURGH THROUGH AND THROUGH, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU GETTING THERE? AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, I LOVE EVERYTHING. PITTSBURGH EXCEPT FOR THE WORD GAMES. I DON’T SAY THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR MANNY’S, IT’S ALL THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ALL THESE PITTSBURGH BRANDS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THIS IS MY BACKYARD. IT IS BACKYARD. THIS BETHEL PARK NATIVE IS ABLE TO CHOW DOWN AFTER A SEASON OF MAKING WEIGHT AND MAKING HISTORY. WINNING HITS FIRST NATIONAL WRESTLING CROWN. SO THIS HIS HEAD COACH DID IT 15 YEARS AGO. THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE FOR WRESTLING BECAUSE THIS IS SOMEWHERE WHERE THAT CAN HAPPEN. I MEAN, WE’RE IN A VERY GOOD WRESTLING AREA AND YOU COULD STAY HOME AND BE KIND OF BE THE HOMETOWN HERO LIKE NINO IS. AND SINCE HIS VICTORY BOND, OF COURSE, HE HAS RECEIVED A HERO’S WELCOME AT HOME. THE CAMPUS VICTORY LIGHTS LIT IN HIS HONOR. AND TAKING THE TROPHY BACK TO BETHEL PARK. WHAT’S KIND OF REALLY STICK OUT TO ME IS WHEN I GOT TO GO HOME AND SEE MY FAMILY BECAUSE THEY DROVE FROM TULSA AND DROVE ALL THE WAY BACK. SO WHEN I GOT HOME AND I GAVE THEM THAT TROPHY, WE ALL KIND OF GAVE A BIG HUG. IT WAS REAL EMOTIONAL AND IT WAS JUST SO THAT’S THAT’S SOMETHING THAT’S STICKING OUT FOR ME. THE SINGER MAY NOT BE DONE STOCKING HIS TROPHY CASE. HE’S A FINALIST FOR COLLEGE. WRESTLING’S VERSION OF THE HEISMAN TROPHY. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, I’M SURROUNDED BY SUCH GREAT NAMES. IT’S IT’S REALLY AN HONOR. IT WOULD MEAN IT WOULD MEAN A LOT TO ME IF I DID GET THAT TROPHY. NOW, IF OF COURSE, HE DOES BRING HOME THE HODGE TROPHY, IT WOULD KEEP A TRADITION GOING. THE PREVIOUS TWO SEASONS, WRESTLING’S HEISMAN TROPHY WENT TO WESTERN PENNSYLVANI
Pitt celebrates NCAA wrestling champion Nino Bonaccorsi with 'Nino's Natty Lunch'
The Bethel Park native chows down on Primanti sandwiches and Millie's ice cream after bringing home a national wrestling championship.
Updated: 4:42 PM EDT Mar 24, 2023
Nino Bonaccorsi is Pittsburgh's newest champion, finishing a perfect senior season with a national wrestling title.On Thursday, Pitt celebrated Bonaccorsi's NCAA championship with "Nino's Natty Lunch" — Primanti Bros. sandwiches and Millie's ice cream, as chosen by the Bethel Park native himself."I love everything Pittsburgh, except for the word 'yinz.' I don't say that," Bonaccorsi said with a laugh. "But you know, Primanti's, just all these local businesses and all these Pittsburgh brands, because this is my backyard."The champ was able to chow down after a season of making weight and making history, winning Pitt's first national wrestling crown since his head coach, Keith Gavin, did it 15 years ago."This is a special place for wrestling because this is somewhere where that can happen. We're in a very good wrestling area, and you could stay home and kind of be the hometown hero like Nino is," Gavin said.After his victory in the 197-pound final in Oklahoma last weekend, Bonaccorsi has received a hero's welcome. The victory lights at Pitt's Cathedral of Learning were lit in his honor, and he took the trophy home to Bethel Park."What's kind of really sticking out to me is when I got to go home and see my family, because they drove from Tulsa and drove all the way back, so when I got home and gave them that trophy, we all kind of gave a big hug. It was real emotional," Bonaccorsi said.He may not be done stocking his trophy case. Bonaccorsi is a finalist for the Dan Hodge Trophy, college wrestling's version of the Heisman."Obviously, I'm surrounded by such great names. It's really an honor. It would mean a lot to me if I get that trophy," Bonaccorsi said.
PITTSBURGH — Nino Bonaccorsi is Pittsburgh's newest champion, finishing a perfect senior season with a national wrestling title.
On Thursday, Pitt celebrated Bonaccorsi's NCAA championship with "Nino's Natty Lunch" — Primanti Bros. sandwiches and Millie's ice cream, as chosen by the Bethel Park native himself.
"I love everything Pittsburgh, except for the word 'yinz.' I don't say that," Bonaccorsi said with a laugh. "But you know, Primanti's, just all these local businesses and all these Pittsburgh brands, because this is my backyard."
The champ was able to chow down after a season of making weight and making history, winning Pitt's first national wrestling crown since his head coach, Keith Gavin, did it 15 years ago.
"This is a special place for wrestling because this is somewhere where that can happen. We're in a very good wrestling area, and you could stay home and kind of be the hometown hero like Nino is," Gavin said.
After his victory in the 197-pound final in Oklahoma last weekend, Bonaccorsi has received a hero's welcome. The victory lights at Pitt's Cathedral of Learning were lit in his honor, and he took the trophy home to Bethel Park.
"What's kind of really sticking out to me is when I got to go home and see my family, because they drove from Tulsa and drove all the way back, so when I got home and gave them that trophy, we all kind of gave a big hug. It was real emotional," Bonaccorsi said.
He may not be done stocking his trophy case. Bonaccorsi is a finalist for the Dan Hodge Trophy, college wrestling's version of the Heisman.
"Obviously, I'm surrounded by such great names. It's really an honor. It would mean a lot to me if I get that trophy," Bonaccorsi said.