Bo Nickal was the Texas and Central Region winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2014.

He was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist for Penn State who helped the Nittany Lions win four team titles.

Nickal was a three-time Texas high school state champion for Allen High School, compiling a 183-7 record with 131 of those victories coming by fall.

He was a USA Wrestling Triple Crown Winner at the Cadet level in 2012. In 2013, he won the 170-pound title at the FILA Cadet Championships and Junior Freestyle Nationals while finishing fifth at the Cadet World Championships.

During his freshman and sophomore years, he also played football. A two-time recipient of the Allen High School PTSA Citizenship Award, Nickal served as a Boys to Men mentor and volunteered at Allen Community Outreach. He was an active member of the Allen Young Life Youth Organization and maintained a 3.85 GPA.