ST. CLOUD -- The St. Cloud State University wrestling team is one of the strongest programs in the nation in Division II. The Huskies have won five national championships in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

A new book chronicles the history of the program, it's called "Destined for Glory: St. Cloud State Wrestling Building Life Champions".

Author Craig Sesker says prior to current coach Steve Costanzo's arrival the team was not very good.

When I was at the World Herold in Omaha it was pretty safe to say they had the worst wrestling program in the North Central Conference.  They were pretty bad. Steve had led Dana to the NAIA National Championship and then he came over to St. Cloud and turned it around pretty quickly.  I mean they were really bad, and within a couple of years, they were starting to contend for regional titles.

Costanzo is in his 15th season as the Huskies' head coach and going into this season he amassed an overall record of 224 wins and just 28 losses.

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Before they were bad, the SCSU wrestling team was quite strong back in the 1960s.  Sesker says twins Dave and Jim Hazewinkel enjoyed a lot of success wrestling for the team.

Both were two-time U.S. Olympians in wrestling.  Jim Hazewinkel was a four-time National Champion for SCSU, and back then they were in the NAIA which was extremely tough.

Sesker says he was able to interview both the Hazewinkel twins for the book. He has a chapter on each one of the team's national champions.

The program started in 1949.

Sesker says the best way to get a copy of his book is to contact the SCSU wrestling program.

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