The history of the wrestling program at North Central College is inextricably tied to the efforts of John Novak ’64, who was present for the team’s resurgence in 1961 and has continued his involvement as a volunteer coach, College Honorary Trustee and supporter.
After the College had to dismantle the program following the 1938-1939 season, the Cardinals’ wrestling program was resurrected in fall 1961. Novak, a transfer to North Central that year, was one of 14 newcomers on the team and helped lead the Cardinals to a College Conference of Illinois (CCI) Championship despite cramped practice quarters.
“We worked out in one single room on the second floor of Merner Field House,” he said. “There were 14 of us, including our 290-pound heavyweight, in a room with one mat. We made a lot of friends!”
Novak was an individual CCI champion at 147 pounds that season and went on to post a second-place finish in the NCAA Regional Championships. In 1963, he once again won the CCI 147-pound title and qualified for the national championships. He placed fourth to become North Central’s first wrestling All-American.
“We had a very successful program,” Novak said, “but what I remember most are the personalities and the people and the camaraderie more than the wins.”
Soon after graduation, Novak was approached by North Central President Arlo Schilling. “After my senior year, I had been hired by the admission office,” Novak said. “In late summer, I got called into Dr. Schilling’s office. I thought I must have really been in trouble. He said, ‘you were a pretty good wrestler, I wonder if you might be the head coach.’”
Novak accepted the offer and guided the Cardinals’ program from 1964-1966, compiling two runner-up finishes at the CCI Championships.
“It was an easy transition to coaching for me,” he said. “When you’re young, it doesn’t affect you as much. I was wearing a jacket at the tournaments instead of a uniform, but I was helping the other guys just like I did as part of the team.”
Novak remains involved with the wrestling program, which now boasts 25 All-Americans, 65 national qualifiers and six conference team championships and practices in some of the finest facilities available to an NCAA Division III program.
“I think the facilities are outstanding,” he said. “The coaching staff is extremely dedicated, guys who graduate come back to help coach the team, some of whom are volunteers, just because they love the program. And they’ve been very successful.”
Novak was appointed treasurer of DuPage County in 1977 and won re-election seven times before retiring in 2006, the same year he was named a member of the North Central College Board of Trustees. He received North Central’s Outstanding Alumni Award in 2009.
