Testimonials
2024 US Olympian, 2025 Senior World Team Member, U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2024 & 2025 USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year.
PAYTON JACOBSON
NMU-NTS has been a place where I have seen myself become a man. Starting out at Northern, I just felt like some kid chasing his dream of being an Olympic Champion. This program soon helped me realize that it could be a reality. It helped me start following Christianity, while also creating some memories of a lifetime with my brothers for life. The biggest impact hasn’t even been for me, but some of the things I have seen through my teammates. Getting through college while competing at an extremely high level is no easy task and watching some of my teammates do this has been truly inspiring. Something that makes this culture so unique is how there are very few opportunities to chase an Olympic Gold Medal while getting a good education in the United States. Coach Andy and this program have truly been a blessing for me and I was really looking forward to making another run at the Olympics with NMU on my chest.
At NMU from 2014-2020, 2x Junior World Team Member, 2x University National Champion, 2x U23 World Team Member, 3x Senior World Team Member, US Open Champion, Pan Am Champion, and World Team Trials Champion.
DALTON ROBERTS
The NTS at NMU provided a training environment I had never before experienced and built upon a strong history of brotherhood that has carried through long after I had graduated. The program prepared me for life outside of college instilling work ethic and camaraderie I use to this day in my Army career.
The program and its legacy are integral in the success of the American Olympic movement, without it the country will be strained of an essential resource key to the Olympic Dream. The program and its leaders and coaches are the pillars of my success. It is heart wrenching to hear the news and know athletes whose shoes I was once in won’t be afforded the same opportunities.
Sports Director for the Danish Wrestling Federation
Thor Hyllegaard
“For countries like Denmark and many others around the world, the US Greco-Roman team has always been respected because of the quality of athletes that have come through this program. Many of the wrestlers developed at Northern Michigan have had a significant impact internationally, raising the level of competition and contributing to the growth of Greco-Roman wrestling worldwide. Since Greco-Roman wrestling is a highly specialized discipline, dedicated development environments like Northern Michigan are essential.”
“I sincerely hope the decision-makers recognize the unique value of this program and the legacy it has built over decades. Its impact reaches far beyond the athletes who train there — it has strengthened the entire sport.”
NMU helped develop my early wrestling career. Andy Bisek and Coach Rob Hermann developed me from when I was a young athlete and gave me opportunities to travel overseas and learn an international style of wrestling. It got me to where I am today.
The program and the legacy means everything to me, and also for the sport. I think it’s a fundamental steppingstone and has proved that it is way more than that in our sport.
It made me who I am as an athlete. I met some of my best friends and developed as an athlete, but also into a man there. Being able to train full-time, travel overseas, and get your degree is what makes this place so awesome.
NMU Class of 2022, 2025 Senior World Team Member, and U20 World Bronze Medalist