Montini Catholic High School is pleased to announce the nomination of Head Football and Wrestling Coach Michael Bukovsky '83 for the "Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award" recognized by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Illinois Chapter. Coach Bukovsky will be honored on Sunday, October 22nd at their Honors Banquet at DoubleTree by Hilton (Alsip, IL).

"We are honored to recognize Coach Bukovsky and are glad he chose to invest his time in the support of wrestling," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "This award acknowledges that his life has been significant and he is leaving behind a legacy that others admire. He has a special place in the heritage of the sport and his legacy is going to be recognized at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, Oklahoma."

Coach Bukosvky most recently earned the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association's (IWCOA) Lifetime Service Award for 2020 receiving the award in 2021 at the association's 49th Annual Lifetime Service Awards and Hall of Fame Banquet.

Bukovsky started his wrestling career at Eisenhower Jr. High School in Darien where he wrestled for Hall of Famer, Joe Pedersen. He moved on to Montini Catholic and continued his wrestling career under another Hall of Famer, Jim Izzo '83.  Bukovsky was a three-year varsity starter, a two-time conference champion and was also voted Most Valuable Wrestler and Team Captain his senior year. He also played football for Coach Chris Andriano and was a member of Montini's first ever state playoff qualifying football teams in 1981 and 1982. He earned All Conference, All Area, and Honorable Mention All-State recognition.

When an injury ended his college wrestling career after two years at North Central College, Bukovsky started helping out with the wrestling team at Montini and began his coaching career in 1985. After nine years as the sophomore coach, he assumed the reins of the Wrestling program in 1995, a position he held for 16 years, until 2010. Collectively, he coached Wrestling for 25 years at Montini.

While serving as the Head Bronco Wrestling Coach at Montini, Bukovsky's teams won 460 dual meets while losing only 39, a career 92% winning mark. His teams won 15 IHSA Regional Championships, and qualified for the Dual Team State Tournament 13 times. His teams won 11 Dual Team State Trophies, including 8 IHSA Dual Team State Championships. 

Individually, Bukovsky produced 140 state qualifiers, 81 state place winners and 32 IHSA Individual State Champions. He has also coached 3 IHSA Individual four-time State Champions. Several of his teams were nationally ranked, including the 2007 team, ranked 5th in the Nation by Amateur Wrestling News Magazine.  Bukovsky was recognized three times as IWCOA "Coach of the Year" (1998, 2002, 2008), and was selected as the National High School Athletics Association "National Coach of the Year," in 2009. He was inducted into the IWCOA Hall of Fame in 2008, received the IWCOA "Man of the Year" award in 2010, and served as the Grand Marshall at the 2017 IHSA State Wrestling Finals.

Bukovsky has been a member of the IWCOA Executive Board since 1999, serving as the chairman of the Classic Dual Committee and emcee of the All State Banquet, among various other duties. He served as the IWCOA President in 2008 and 2009, and has been a member of the IWCOA Hall of Fame selection committee since 2008. Bukovsky has also promoted wrestling by working as a color analyst and broadcaster for the IHSA and IKWF State Finals and numerous other wrestling events over the years.

Bukovsky is currently serving as Montini's Head Football and Head Wrestling Coach and has just begun his 34th season coaching football. He has played a vital role in the success of Montini's 6 State Championship Teams (and 3 Runner Up Teams). He also coached the Bronco girls Softball Team for 9 years and in his 6 years as Head Coach, his teams won 2 State Championships. Coaching three sports at Montini, Wrestling, Football and Softball, Coach Bukovsky has been a part of a total of 16 Bronco State Championship Teams.

Principal Chris Tiritilli joins the school in congratulating Coach Bukovsky on this prestigious honor. "Congratulations to Coach Bukovsky! Like many things in life, when it comes to sports, most outside spectators see the outcome of a season and evaluate a coach's skill, talent and dedication. We celebrate and appreciate that the many years of success of Montini's wrestling program are a direct result of Coach Bukovsky's positive impact on the team. What is even more impressive, and the basis for the success of the program, are the thousands of hours of preparation and working with our student athletes that Coach Bukovsky has devoted over the course of his career. Our student athletes are better equipped to succeed in wrestling, in school and in life because of the leadership that Coach Bukovsky has provided. Thank you, coach!"

"While Coach Bu's record, the championships and accolades speak for themselves, it is the impact that he has had and continues to have on young men and women that will forever be his legacy," added Brian Casey, Montini's Athletic Director. "On the surface, 8 State Championships, being named "Coach of the Year" and "Man of the Year" are all tremendous achievements, but what is often overlooked is the fact that not one individual has spent more time, energy, effort and determination in helping his wrestlers succeed not only on the wrestling mat, but in all walks of life. Legendary College Basketball Coach John Wooden once said, 'the wins will always be remembered in a history book. But, you'll know you were successful, when 20 years later, your players want to meet up with you, just to hang out'. The line of former Montini Catholic student-athletes that return year after year to see Coach Bu, to introduce their spouses and children to him, to tell old stories, or just simply to catch up continues to amaze me. His positive influence and inspiration in his 35+ year coaching career, has proven to literally be a lifetime of service to not only the sport of wrestling, but to the over 2,000 student-athletes he has coached."