Last week, ISU assistant wrestling coach Chris Bono interviewed for the open head coaching position at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. An announcement was expected Monday, but Bono said Sunday night he wasn’t going to get the job, and that was fine with him.

“I definitely consider myself a worthy candidate for head coach,” Bono said. “That’s definitely been one of my goals.”

Athletic officials at UTC were considering Bono and three others — Steve Hamilton, an assistant coach at UTC and former Cyclone wrestler, Joe Seay, former head coach at Oklahoma State and Lou Rosselli, assistant head coach at Edinboro — to fill the position vacated by Terry Brands, who resigned April 4 to become the U.S. resident Olympic freestyle coach.

“They flew me down there and we met for dinner, and again in the morning, and then I flew home,” Bono said.

Head wrestling coach Bobby Douglas was happy for Bono and thought his assistant was ready to move up and be a head coach.

“They are looking for a good coach and they are interviewing the best people around and he’s one of them,” Douglas said. “I think he’s the best candidate and the most qualified. He’s had nine years of internship, so if you aren’t ready after nine years, then you’re never gonna be ready.”

Bono said he was glad he was approached by UTC, but from the beginning he considered himself an underdog.

“I was the youngest one there, and I’m the only one still competing at the international level,” he said. “Those things came up, but I think the committee saw my work ethic and my enthusiasm and passion — I eat and breathe wrestling and everything that goes along with the sport.”

After the interview with UTC, Bono said although he was ready to be a head coach, he realized he wasn’t interested in leaving Iowa State.

“I’m so close to these guys on the team, it would have taken something extremely incredible to get me to leave,” he said. “We started something good here, and I want to continue it. It’s time to get us a national championship.”

Bono says it has been his working under Douglas that has prepared him for a job as head coach.

“I love working with Coach Douglas and the longer he’s here the more prepared I’ll be to be a head coach,” he said. “I learn something different from him every day.

“I’ve learned the whole insides and outsides of what it takes to being head coach. I’ve learned every facet of the program — from running practices, dealing with the public, dealing with administration, boosters, recruiting — Coach Douglas has let me be a part of everything.”

“Chris Bono is a tremendous asset and he’ll be a tremendous asset wherever he goes,” Douglas said.

Despite his staying at Iowa State as an assistant coach, Bono says he just wants to help the wrestling program earn its first national title.

“I’m willing to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to accomplish what needs to get done.”